The Pilots Were Not Then So Well
Acquainted With That Voyage As They Have Since Become, And Knew Not How To
Hit That Port, But Were Carried Away By The Currents So Far To The
Westwards That They Arrived In The Province Of Xaragua, Then Occupied By
The Rebels.
These, understanding that the ships were out of their way and
knew nothing of the revolt, sent some of
Their number peaceably on board,
who pretended that they were there by the lieutenants orders, on purpose
to preserve that part of the country under obedience and to be the better
supplied with provisions. But a secret which is diffused among many is
easily divulged, so that Alonzo Sanchez de Caravajal, who was the most
skilful among the captains of these three ships, was soon aware of the
rebellion and discord, and began immediately to make overtures of peace to
Roldan, in hopes of persuading him to submit to the lieutenant. But the
familiar conversation which the rebels had previously been allowed on
board the ships had already produced such effects that his persuasions
were disregarded; Roldan having obtained private assurances from many of
those who had come fresh from Spain that they would adhere to him, and by
this accession of strength he hoped to advance himself to higher power.
Finding that the negociation was not likely to draw to a speedy
conclusion, Caravajal and the other captains thought it convenient and
proper that the people who had been brought from Spain under wages to work
in the mines and other public employments, should go by land to St Domingo;
because the winds and currents being adverse, the voyage there might
possibly occupy two or three months, during which these people would
consume a great deal of provisions, if they remained on board, and might
fall sick, and much time would be lost which they might otherwise have
devoted to the several employments for which they were sent out. Having
agreed upon this plan, it fell to the lot of John Anthony Columbus to
march with the men by land, who were forty in number; Arana was appointed
to conduct the ships from Xaragua to St. Domingo; and Caravajal remained
to endeavour to bring the rebels to an accommodation. John Anthony
Columbus set out with his people the second day after landing; but those
labourers and vagabonds who had been sent out to work deserted to the
rebels, and left him with only six or seven men who continued in their
duty. Upon this John Anthony went boldly to Roldan, to whom he represented,
that since he pretended to promote the service of their Catholic majesties,
it was not reasonable to suffer those men who had been sent out to people
and cultivate the country and who received wages for following their
callings, to remain and lose their time without performing their
engagements; that by turning them away he would make his words and actions
more conformable, and that his staying in this place evinced that he had
no inclination to forward the public service, but only to foment discord
and division with the lieutenant. But as the desertion of the labourers
was favourable to the views of Roldan and his followers, and they
considered that a crime committed by many is soonest connived at, he
pretended that he could not use violence towards these people, and that
his was a religious order which refused no man. Knowing that it was not
the part of a discreet person to expose himself to danger by pressing this
matter any farther, John Anthony determined to go on board again with
those few who still remained faithful; and that they might not be so
served by those who remained, he and Arana sailed immediately with their
two ships for St Domingo, with the wind as contrary as they feared; for
they spent many days at sea and spoiled all their provisions, and
Caravajals ship was much damaged upon certain sands, where she lost her
rudder and sprung a leak, so that they had much difficulty to bring her
into port.
[1] This prolix, diffuse, uninteresting, and confused disquisition, on the
superstitious beliefs and ceremonies of the original natives of Haiti
or Hispaniola, is so inexplicably and inexpressibly unintelligible and
absurd, partly because the original translator was unable to render
the miserable sense or nonsense of the author into English, but
chiefly owing to the innate stupidity and gross ignorance of the poor
anchorite, that the present editor was much inclined to have expunged
the whole as unsatisfactory and uninteresting: But it seemed incumbent
to give the whole of this most important voyage to the public. The
Editor however, has used the freedom to compress the scrambling detail
of the original of this section into a smaller compass; to omit the
uselessly prolix titles of its subdivisions; and, where possible, to
make the intended meaning somewhat intelligible; always carefully
retaining every material circumstance. It was formerly divided into
chapters like a regular treatise, and these are here marked by
corresponding figures. The author repeatedly acknowledges that his
account is very imperfect, which he attributes to the confused and
contradictory reports of the natives, and allows that he may even have
set down the information he collected in wrong order, and may have
omitted many circumstances for want of paper at the time of collecting
materials. - E.
[2] Some of these are so unintelligibly related, owing to ignorance in the
translator, that it were unnecessary to insert them in this place. - E.
[3] The poor anchorite relates all these absurdities gravely, as actually
proceeding from sorcery. - E.
[4] In this paragraph, marked 20 - 24. the substance of five prolix
chapters by F. Roman is compressed. - E.
[5] Though not expressed in the text, these were probably the manico root,
of which the cassada bread is made. - E
[6] It is singular that the author should not have endeavoured to account
for the origin of these iron hatchets; probably procured in the
plundering excursions of these Carib natives of Guadaloupe from
Hispaniola.
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