But As The Way Was Long And He Was Weary, He Came To The
Ships And Was Taken On Board, Both Himself And His Canoe, And Was
Courteously Treated By The Admiral, Who Sent Him On Shore As Soon As He
Came To Land, That He Might Spread The News.
The favourable account he
gave caused the people of Fernandina to come on board in their canoes, to
exchange
The same kind of things as had been done at the two former
islands; and when the boats went on shore for water, the Indians both
readily shewed where it was to be got, and carried the small casks full on
their shoulders to fill the hogsheads in the boats.
The inhabitants of Fernandina seemed to be a wiser and discreeter people
than those in the two former islands, as they bargained harder for what
they exchanged; they had cotton cloth in their houses as bed-clothes, and
some of the women wore short cotton cloths to cover their nakedness, while
others had a sort of swathe for the same purpose. Among other things
worthy of remark in this island, certain trees had the appearance of being
engrafted, as they had leaves and branches of four or five different sorts,
and were yet quite natural. They saw fishes of several sorts, ornamented
with fine colours; but no sort of land animals except lizards and serpents.
The better to observe this island, the admiral sailed along its coast to
the north-west, and came to anchor at the mouth of a most beautiful
harbour, at the entrance of which a small island prevented the access of
ships. In that neighbourhood was one of the largest towns they had ever
yet seen, consisting of twelve or fifteen houses together, built like
tents or round pavilions, but in which were no other ornaments or
moveables besides those which have been already mentioned as offered in
barter. Their beds were like nets, drawn together in the nature of a sling,
and tied to two posts in their houses. In this island they saw some dogs
resembling mastiffs, and others like beagles, but none of them barked.
Finding nothing of value in Fernandina, the admiral sailed thence on
Friday the 19th October to another island called Saomotto by the natives,
to which, that he might proceed regularly in his nomenclature, he gave the
name of Isabella. Thus to his first discovery called Guanahani by the
natives, he gave the name of St Salvador or St Saviour, in honour of God
who had delivered him from so many dangers, and had providentially pointed
out the way for its discovery. On account of his particular devotion to
the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, and because she is the great
patroness of the Christians, he named the second island St Mary of the
Conception. The third he named Fernandina in honour of the Catholic king;
the fourth Isabella in honour of the Catholic queen; and the next island
which he discovered, called Cuba by the natives, he named Joanna in
respect to prince John the heir of Castile, having in these several names
given due regard to both spirituals and temporals.
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