Nothing Being Found In Fernandina Beyond What Had Been Already Seen At St
Salvador And The Conception, The Admiral Proceeded To The Next Island,
Which He Named Isabella, In Honour Of The Queen Of Castile, And Took
Possession Of It With The Usual Formalities.
This island and its
inhabitants resembled the rest, having the beautiful appearance of the
south of Spain in the month of April.
They here killed an alligator; and,
on going towards a town, the inhabitants fled, carrying sway all their
property; but no harm being done, the natives soon came to the ships to
barter like the others for toys; and being asked for water, they became so
familiar as to bring it on board in gourds. The admiral would not spend
time at Isabella, nor at any of the other small islands, which were very
numerous, but resolved to go in search of a very large island which the
Indians described as being in the south, by them called Cuba, of which
they seemed to give a magnificent account, and which he supposed might be
Sucipango. He steered his course W.S.W, and made little way on Wednesday
and Thursday, by reason of heavy rain, and changed his course at nine next
morning to S.E., and after running eight leagues, fell in with eight
islands in a north and south direction, which he called Del Arena, or
the Sand Isles, because surrounded by shoals. He was told that Cuba was
only a day and halfs sail from these islands, which he left on Saturday
the 27th October, and standing S.S.W., discovered Cuba before night; yet,
as it began to grow late and dark, he lay to all night.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 426 of 789
Words from 119269 to 119555
of 219607
