The
Indians Had Much Land In Cultivation, Part In Those Roots Before Mentioned,
And Part Sown With A Grain Named Maize, Which Was Well Tasted; Either
Boiled Whole, Or Made Into Flour.
They saw vast quantities of spun cotton,
made up into clews, and thought there was above 12,000 weight of it in one
house.
This cotton grows wild in the fields, and opens of itself when ripe,
and there were some heads open and others shut on the same plants; and
this was held in so little estimation by the natives, that they would give
a basket full for a leather thong, a piece of glazed earthen ware, or a
bit of mirror. Being all naked, the only use to which this cotton was
applied, was for net hammocks, in which they slept, and for weaving into
small clouts to cover their nakedness. Being asked for gold and pearls,
they said there was plenty of them at Bohio, pointing to the east. The
Spaniards made much inquiry among the natives on board, for gold, and were
told it camp from Cubanocan; which some thought meant the country of the
Chan of Cathay, and that it was not far off, as their signs indicated four
days journey. Martin Alonzo Pinzon, thought Cubanocan must be some great
city, only distant four days journey; but it was afterwards found to be a
province in the middle of Cuba, nocan signifying the middle, in which
there are gold mines.
The admiral was not inclined to lose time in this uncertain inquiry, but
ordered some Indians of several different parts to be seized, to carry
them into Spain, that they might each give an account of their country,
and serve as witnesses of his discovery.
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