UNi Glass t- / I Book_:iiiil / -2^ YOUNG FOLKS' BOOK OF AMERICAN EXPLORERS Works by t. W. Higginson Common Sense about Women . . . . $1.50 Army Life in a Black Regiment . . . 1.50 Atlantic Essays 1.50 The New World and the New Book . 1.50 Travellers and Outlaws 1.50 Out-Door Papers 1.50 Malbone. An Oldport Romance . . . I.50 Oldport Days 1.50 The Afternoon Landscape. Poems and Translations 1.00 The Monarch of Dreaais 50 Hints on Writing and Speechmaking . .50 Young Folks' History of the United States. Illustrated. Net 1.20 Young Folks' Book of American Ex- plorers illustrated. AW .... 1.20 Short Studies of American Authors. M7 .30 IVif/i Dr. Echvard Chattnitit^ English History for Americans. Nd 1.20 New YORK: LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO. o g, U „n O 1^ 5 o I YOUNG FOLKS' Book of American Explorers BY /" THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON AUTHOR OF "ATLANTIC ESSAYS," " YOUNG FOLKs' HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES," "hints ON WRITING AND SPBBCH-MAKING," ETC. S^' ^^ N E W Y O R K LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1896 fc 10', ,H L 3 6' Copyright, 1877, BY THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON. JA A t908 Trausterred fro 02 tlie Librar7 of Congress to D. C. Public Library for use therein '^ DEDICATION. \ \ TO GEORGE BARRELL EMERSON, WITHOUT WHOSE COUNSEL AND WHOSE EFFICIENT KINDNESS THIS HISTORIC^* ^^RIES WiSULD NEVER HAVE 'been UNDERTAKEN, TUTS V^OLUME IS RESPECTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. PREFACE. IT has always seemed to me that the narratives of the early discoverers and explorers of the American coast were as interesting as " Robinson Crusoe," and were, indeed, very much like it. This has led me to make a series of extracts from these narratives, selecting what appeared to me the most interesting parts, and altering only the spelling. The grammar is not always correct ; but it would be impossible to alter that without changing the style of writing too much : so it has not been changed at all. Wherever it has seemed necessary, I have put a word of my own in brackets [thus] ; but all else is the very language of the old writers, or their translators. Whenever any thing has been omitted, great or small, the place is marked by dots. . . . Some of the hardest words have been explained by footnotes. One great thing which I have wished my readers to learn is the charm of an original narrative. We should all rather hear a shipwreck described by a sailor who VI PREFACE. was on board the ship than to read the best account of it afterwards prepared by the most skilful writer. What I most desire is, that those who have here acquired a taste for these old stories should turn to the books from which the extracts are taken, and follow up the study for themselves. Then they can go with renewed in- terest to the pages of Bancroft and Parkman, or at least to my own " Young Folks' History," for the thread on which these quaint narratives may be strung. The explorers of various nations are represented iri this book. There are Northmen, Italians, Englishmen, Frenchmen, Spaniards, and Dutchmen. Where the original narrative was in some foreign language, that translation has been chosen which gives most of the spirit of the original ; and Mr. Cabot's versions of the Norse legends were especially selected for this reason. It seemed proper to begin the book with these ; and it is brought down to the time when the Virginia and Massachusetts colonies, with that of the New Nether- lands, were fairly planted on the American shore. Possibly, at some future time, I may recommence with the Massachusetts colonies, and tell their story, down to the Revolution ; either in a book of extracts, like this, or in my own words. T. \V. H. Newport, R.I., March i, 1877. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. 1. The Legends of the Northmen (985-1008) .... i 1. How the Northmen discovered North America .... 3 2. The Voyage of Leif the Lucky . . 6 3. Leif finds Vines, and goes back to Greenland .... 8 4. Thorvald, Leif's Brother, goes to Vinland 10 5. Karlsefni's Adventures 12 IL Columbus and his Companions (1492-1503) 17 1. The First Letter from Cokmibus 19 2. The Second Voyage of Cokmibus 26 3. Columbus reaches the Mainland 31 4. Columbus at the Mouth of the Orinoco 34 5. Columbus thinks himself near the Earthly Paradise . . 36 6. Daring Deed of Diego Mendez 39 7. How Diego Mendez got Ft)od for Columbus . .... 42 8. How Diego Mendez saved Columbus . 45 g. Appeal of Columbus in his Old Age 51 III. Cabot AND Verrazzano (1497-1524) 53 1. First News of John and Sebastian Cabot 55 2. Sebastian Cabot's Voyage 56 3. Verrazzano's Letter to the Kmg 60 IV. The Strange Voyage of Cabeza de Vaca {1528-1533) 71 1. The Strange Voyage 73 2. Cabeza de Vaca saved by Indians 83 3. Cabeza de Vaca's Captivity 88 4. The Indians of the Gulf of Mexico 91 15. Cabeza de Vaca's Escape 93 VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. V. The French in Canada {1534-1536) 97 1. Cartier's Visit to Bay of Chaleur 99 2. Cartier sets up a Cross 102 3. Cartier ascends the St. Lawrence 104 4. How the Indians tried to frighten Cartier 108 5. How Cartier reached Hochelaga, now Montreal . . . .111 6. The Festivities at Hochelaga 1 14 VI. Adventures of De Soto (1538-1542) 119 1. How De Soto set sail ! . . 121 2. De Soto attacks the Indians, and finds a Fellow Country- man 124 3. The Story of John Ortiz 127 4. De Soto discovers the Mississippi 131 5. De Soto's Vain Attempts to reach the Sea 135 6. Death and Burial of De Soto 138 VII. Tiiu Fkhn'Cii in Florida ( 1562-1565) 141 1. Jean Ribaut in Florida 143 2. Alone in the New World 149 3. Laudonniere's Search for the Colonists 156 4. Capture of Fort Caroline by the Spaniards 1 59 VIII. Sir Humphrey Gilbert , 1583) 167 IX. The Lost Colonies ok Virginia (1584-1590) . . . .175 1. The First Voyage to Virginia 177 2. Visit to an Indian Princess 184 3. Adventures of the First Virginia Colony 186 4. The Second English Colony in Virginia 189 5. Search for the Lost Colony 196 X. Unsuccessful New England Settlements (1602-1607) 201 1. Gosnold's Fort at Cuttyhunk 203 2. Captain Waymouth explores the Penobscot 213 3. The Popham Colony on the Kennebec ....... 222 4. Captain Gilbert's Adventure with Indians 225 XL Captain John Smith (1606- 1631) 229 1. Tiie Virginia Colony 231 2. The Colonists 234 TABLE OF CONTENTS. IX PAGE. 3. Captain Smith's Capture by Indians 236 4. Captain Smitli and Pocahontas 241 5. King Powhatan 247 6. A Virginia Princess 249 7. An Indian Dance in Virginia . . , , 250 8. Indian Children 251 g. " The Planter's Pleasure and Profit " 253 10. The Glories of Fishing 255 11. Visit of Pocahontas to London 257 12. First Buildings of the Virginia Colonists 263 13. Captain Smith's Recollections 264 XII. Champlain on the War-Path (1609) 267 XIII. Henry Hudson and the New Netherlands (1609-1626) 279 1. Discovery of the Hudson River 281 2. Indian Traditions of Hudson's Arrival 290 3. Hudson's Last Voyage, and how he was set adrift in the Ice 296 4. Dutch Settlement of the New Netherlands ..... 303 XIV. The Pilgrims at Plymouth (1620-1621) 309 1. Sailing of the Pilgrims 311 2. Miles Standish at Cape Cod 312 3. The First Encounter 319 4. The Landing on Plymouth Rock 326 5. Plymouth Village founded 328 6. "Welcome, Englishmen!" ^33 XV. The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629-1631) .... 339 1. Voyage of the Massachusetts Colonists 341 2. The Puritans in Salem HarbcTr 343 3. The Four Elements in New England 346 4. A Sea-Adventure of the Puritans 335 5. Governor Winthrop's Night out of Doors 357 6. The Privations of the Puritans 358 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. DESIGNED AND ENGRAVED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF GEORGE T. ANDREW. PAGE. 1. Columbus at the Mouth of the Orinoco (full page) . .Frontispiece. 2. A Norse Ship 4 3. Esquimau Boat 13 4. Dutch Man-of-War 15 5. Reception of Columbus by Ferdinand and Isabella 18 6. Fleet of Columbus 35 7. Ship of the Fifteenth Century 54 8. Portrait of Verrazzano 60 9. Verrazzano in Newport Harbor 63 10. Indians making Canoes 65 11. Cabeza de Vaca building the Boat 74 12. Portrait of Jacques Cartier 100 13. Cartier raising a Cross on the St. Charles River (full page) . . . 102 14. Indians trying to frighten Cartier 108 15. Portrait of De Soto 121 16. Landing of De Soto 125 17. Burial of De Soto (full page) 139 18. Indians in Canoe 142 19. Ribaut's Pillar decorated by Indians (full page) ....... 157 20. Fort Caroline • 160 21. Portrait of Menendez .,,....... 164 22. Indian Village in Virginia 184 Xll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. 23. Baptism of First Child in Virginia . 195 24. The Explorers looking at the Tree 197 25. Palisaded Town 200 26. Gosnold's Fort 208 27. Captain Weymouth sailing up the Penobscot (full page) .... 220 28. Portrait of James 1 222 29. Old Print of Smith's Capture 2-57 30. Facsimile Illustration of Pocahontas saving the Life of Smith . 244 31. Indian Dance 250 32. Cod-Fishing 255 33. Portrait of Pocahontas 259 34. Portrait of Champlain 270 35. Champlain on the War-Path (full page) 277 36. Hudson in the Highlands (full page) 286 37. Indians on Board "The Half-Moon" 289 38. Settlement on the Hudson River 306 39. Delph's Haven 312 40. " The Mayflower ■' in Provincetown 313 41. Portrait of Governor Winslovv 320 42. Sword of Standish 325 43. Sunday on Cl;irk's Island 327 44. Landing of Mary Chilton 331 45. Meeting of Captain Standish and Massasoit (full page) .... 333 46. Governor Carver's Chair 337 47. Portrait of Francis Higginson 342 48. Governor Endicott _. 345 49. First Church in .Salem 347 50. Old Planter's House at Salem 354 51. Portrait of Governor Winthrop 357 52. Famine among the Pilgrims 359 BOOK I. THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. (a.d. 98 5-1008.) These extracts are taken from two Icelandic works called Thattr Eireks Raiida (the piece about Eirek the Red) and Gracnlcndinga Tliatt (the piece about the Greenlanders). These passages were translated by J. Elliot Cabot, Esq., and were published in "The Massachusetts Quar- terly Review" for March, 1849. It is now the general belief of historians, that these legends are mainly correct ; and that the region described as Vinland was a part of the North- American Continent. Beyond this we do not know. The poet Whittier has written thus of these early explorers, in his poem called "The Norse- men : " — " What sea-worn barks are those which throw The light spray from each rushing prow ? Have they not in the North Sea's blast Bowed to the waves the straining mast? Their frozen sails the low, pale sun Of Thule's night has shone upon ; Flapped by the sea-wind's gusty sweep, Round icy drift and headland steep. Wild Jutland's wives and Lochlin's daughters Have watched them fading o'er the waters, Lessening through driving mist and spray. Like white-winged sea-birds on their way. Onward they glide ; and now I view Their iron-armed and stahvart crew : Joy glistens in each wild blue eye Turned to green eartii and summer sky : Each broad, seamed breast has cast aside Its cumbering vest of shaggy hide : Bared to the sun, and soft warm air. Streams back the Norseman's yellow hair. I see the gleam of axe and spear ; The sound of smitten shields I hear, Keeping a harsh and fitting time To Saga's chant and Runic rhyme." THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. I. — How THE Northmen discovered North America. [About the year 860, a Danish sailor named Gardar was driven upon the shores of Iceland, after which that island was settled by a colony from Norway. About a hundred years later, Greenland was settled from Iceland; Eirek the Red being the first to make the voyage. With hiiv went one Heriulf, whose son Biarni had been in the habit of passing ever^ other winter with his father, and then sailing on distant voyages. Then happened what follows.] THAT same summer (985 or 986) came Biarni with his ship to Eyrar (Iceland), in the spring of which his father had sailed from the island. These tidings seemed to Biarni weighty, and he would not unload his ship. Then asked his sailors ^ what he meant to do. He answered, that he meant to hold to his wont,^ and winter with his father; "and I will bear for Greenland, if you will follow me thither." All said they would do as he wished. Then said Biarni, " Imprudent they will think our voyage, since none of us has been in the Greenland Sea." 1 i.e., his sailors asked. 2 Custom. 3 4 THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. Yet they bore out to sea as soon as they were bound/ and sailed three days, till the land was sunk."^ Then the fair wind fell off, and there arose north winds and fogs, and they knew not whither they fared ; and so it went for many days. After that, they saw the sun, and could then get their bearings. Then they hoisted sail, and sailed that day before they saw land ; and they counselled with themselves what land that mig;ht be. A NORSE SHIP. Eut Biarni said he thought it could not be Greenland. They asked- him whether he would sail to the land, or not. "This is my counsel, to sail nigh to the land," said he. And so they did, and soon saw that the land was without fells,^ and wooded, and small heights on the land ; and they left the land to larboard, and let the 1 Or " made ready," as \vc say a sliip is bound for Liverpool. 2 Disappeared below the horizon. •5 Mountains. Tliis has been supposed to be Cape Cod. THE NORTHMEN DISCOVER NORTH AMERICA. J foot of the sail look towards land.^ After that, they sailed two days before they saw another land. They asked if Biarni thought this was Greenland. He said he thought it no more Greenland than the first ; " for the glaciers are very huge, as they say, in Greenland." They soon neared the land, and saw that it was fiat land, and overgrown with wood.^ Then the fair wind fell. Then the sailors said that it seemed prudent to them to land there ; but Biarni would not. They thought they needed both wood and water. " Of neither are you in want," said Biarni ; but he got some hard speeches for that from his sailors. He bade them hoist sail, and so they did ; and they turned the bows from the land, and sailed out to sea with a west-south wind three days, and saw a third land ; but that land was high, mountainous, and covered with glaciers.^ They asked then if Biarni would put ashore there ; but he said he would not, " for this land seems to me not very promising." They did not lower their sails, but held on along this land, and saw that it was an island ; but they turned the stern to the land, and sailed sea- wards with the same fair wind. But the wind rose ; and Biarni bade them shorten sail, and not to carry more than their ship and tackle would bear. They sailed now four days, then saw they land the fourth. Then they asked Biarni whether he thought that was Green- land, or not. Biarni answered, " That is likest to what is said to me of Greenland ; and we will put ashore." So they did, and landed under a certain ness * at even- ing of the day. And there was a boat at the ness, and 1 i.e., sailed away from the land. 2 Possibly Nova Scotia. 3 Possibly Newfoundland. ^ Cape, or nose, of land. 6 THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. there lived Heriulf, the father of Biarni, on this ness ; and from him has the ness taken its name, and is since called Heriulfsness. Now fared ^ Biarni to his father, and gave up sailing, and was with his father whilst Heriulf lived, and afterwards lived there after his father. II. — The Voyage of Leif the Lucky. [After Biarni had reached the Greenland settlement, and told his story, he was blamed for not having explored these unknown lands more care- fully ; and Leif the Lucky bought Biarni's vessel, and set sail with thirty- five companions, to see what he could discover.] (A.I). 999.) First they found the land which Biarni had found last. Then sailed they to the land, and cast anchor, and put off a boat, and went ashore, and saw there no grass. Mickle ^ glaciers were over all the higher parts ; but it was like a plain of rock from the glaciers to the sea, and it seemed to them that the land was good for nothing. Then said Leif, " We have not done about this land like Biarni, not to go upon it : now I will give a name to the land, and call it Helluland (flat-stone land)." ^ Then they went to their ship. After that they sailed into the sea, and found another land, sailed up to it, and cast anchor ; then put off a boat, and went ashore. This land was flat, and cohered with wood and broad white sands wherever they went, and the shore was low. Then said Leif, " From its make ^ shall a name be given to this land ; and it shall be called Markland (Woodland)." ^ Then they went quickl}: 1 Went. 2 Great. 8 Perhaps Labrador, where flat stones abound, or Newfoundland. < Form. s Perhajis Nova Scotia. THE VOYAGE OF LEIF THE LUCKY. 7 down to the vessel. Now they sailed thence into the sea with a north-east wind, and were out two days before they saw land ; and they sailed to land, and came to an island that lay north of the land ; and they went on to it, and looked about them in good weather, and found that dew lay upon the grass ;^ and that 4iappened that they put their hands in the dew, and brought it to their mouths, and they thought they had never known any thing so sweet as that was. Then they went to their ship, and sailed into that sound that lay between the island and a ness '^ which went northward from the land, and then steered westward past the ness. There were great shoals at ebb-tide; and their vessel stood up;^ and it was far to see from the-ship to the sea. But they were so curious to fare to the land, that they could not bear to bide till the sea came under their ship, and ran ashore where a river flows out from a lake. But, when the sea came under their ship, then took they the boat, and rowed to the ship, and took it up into the river, and then into the lake, and there cast anchor, and bore from the ship their skin-cots,* and made their booths. Afterwards they took counsel to stay there that winter, and made there great houses. There was no scarcity of salmon in the rivers and lakes, and larger salmon than they had before seen. There was the land so good, as it seemed to them, that no cattle would want fodder for the winter. There came no frost in the winter, and little did the grass fall off there. Day 1 Perhaps honey-dew, a sweet substance left on grass by an insect called (7////.y. 2 Cape. 3 i.e., was left aground. ■^ Cots used to sleep in, and made of skin. 8 THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. and night were more equal there than in Greenland or Iceland. . . . But when they had ended their house- building, then said Leif to his companions, " Now let our company be divided into two parts, and the land kenned;^ and one half of the people shall be at the- house at home, but the other half shall ken the land, and fare not further than that they may come home at evening, and they shall not separate." Now so they did one time. Leif changed about, so that he went with them (one day) and (the next) was at home at the house. Leif was a mickle "^ man and stout, most noble to see, a wise man, and moderate in all things. III. — Leif finds Vines, and goes back to Greenland. One evening it chanced that a man was wanting of their people ; and this was Tyrker, the Southerner.^ Leif took this very ill ; for Tyrker had been long with his parents, and loved Leif much in his childhood. Leif now chid his people sharply, and made ready to fare forth to seek him, and twelve men with him. But when they had gone a little way, there came Tyrker to meet them, and was joyfully received. Leif found at once that his old friend was somewhat out of his mind : he was bustling and unsteady-eyed, freckled in face, little and wizened in growth, but a man of skill in all arts. Then said Leif to him, " Why wert thou so late, »«y fosterer,* and separated from the party .-* " He 1 Surveyed. 2 Large. 3 German. ■* Fester-father, or perhaps foster-brother. LEIF FINDS VINES, AND RETURNS. Q talked at first a long while in German, and rolled many ways his eyes, and twisted his face ; but they skilled not what he said. He said then in Norse, after a time, " I went not very far ; but I have great news to tell. I have found grape-vines and grapes." — "Can that be true, my fosterer ? " quoth Leif. " Surely it is true," quoth he ; " for I was brought up where there is no want of grape-vines or grapes." Then they slept for the night; but in the morning Leif said to his sailors, " Now we shall have two jobs : each day we will either gather grapes, or hew grape-vines, and fell trees, so there will be a cargo for my ship ; " and that was the counsel taken. It is said that their long boat was filled with grapes. Now was hewn a cargo for the ship; And when spring came they got ready, and sailed off ; and Leif gave" a name to the land after its sort, and called it Vinland (Wine-Land). They sailed then after- wards into the sea, and had a fair wind until they saw Greenland, and the fells ' under the glaciers. . . . After that he was called Leif the Lucky. Leif was now both well to do and honored. . . . Now there was a great talk about Leif's Vinland voyage ; and Thorvald, his brother, thought the land had been too little explored. Then said Leif to Thor- vald, "Thou shalt go with my ship, brother, if thou wilt, to Vinland." ^ 1 Mountains. 2 There has been much difference of opinion as to where Vinland was. Some think that it was Nantucket ; others, the island of Conanicut in Narragansett Bay ; and others, some place much farther north and east. See Costa's "Pre-Columbian Discovery of North America," Anderson's " Norsemen in America," Kohl's " History of the Discovery of the East Coast of North America," published by the Maine Historical Society. THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. IV. — Thorvald, Leif's Brother, goes to Vinland. Now Thorvald made ready for this voyage with thirty men, with the counsel thereon of Leif, his brother. Then they fitted out their ship, and bore out to sea (A.D. 1002): and there is nothing told of their voyage before they came to Vinland, to Leif's booths ; and they laid up their ship, and dwelt in peace there that winter, and caught fish for their meat. But in the spring, Thorvald said they would get ready their ship, and send their long-boat, and some men with it, along to the westward of the land, and explore it during the summer. The land seemed to them fair and woody, and narrow between the woods and the sea, and of white sand. There were many islands and great shoals. They found neither man's abode nor beast's ; but, on an island to the westward, they found a corn-shed of wood. More works of men they found not ; and they went back, and came to Leif's booths in the fall. But the next summer fared Thorvald eastward with the merchant-ship, and coasted to the northward. Here a heavy storm arose as they were passing one of two capes, and drove them up there, and broke the keel under the ship ; and they dwelt there long, and mended their ship. Then said Thorvald to his companions, " Now will I that we raise up here the keel on the ness,' and call it Keelness ;"■■* and so they did. After that, they sailed thence, and coasted to the eastward, and into the mouths of the firths^ that were nearest to them, and to a headland that stretched out 1 Cape. - Possibly Cape Cod. ^ Bzys. THORVALD, LEIF S BROTHER, GOES TO VINLAND. II This was all covered with wood : here they brought the ship into harbor, and shoved a bridge on to the land, and Thorvald went ashore with all his company. He said then, " Here it is fair, and here would I like to raise my dwelling." They went then to the ship, and saw upon the sands within the headland three heights ; and they went thither, and saw there three skin-boats, and three men under each. Then they divided their people, and laid hands on them all, except one that got off with his boat. They killed these eight, and went then back to the headland, and looked about them there, and saw in the firth some heights, and thought they were dwellings. After that there came a heaviness on them so great that they could not keep awake ; and all slumbered. Then came a call above them, so that they all awoke. Thus said the call, " Awake, Thorvald, and all thy company, if thou wilt keep thy life; and fjre thou to thy ship, and all thy men, and fare from the land of the quickest." ^ Then came from the firth innumerable skin-boats, and made toward them. Throvald said then, " We will set up our battle-shields, and guard ourselves the best we can, but fight little against them." So they did, and the Skraelings '^ shot at them for a while, but then fled, each as fast as he could. Then Thorvald asked his men if any of them was hurt : they said they were not hurt. " I have got a hurt under the arm," said he ; " for an arrow flew between the bulwarks and the shield under my arm ; and here is the arrow, and that will be my death. Now ■ I counsel that ye make ready as quickly as may be to return ; but ye shall bear me to the headland which I 1 i.e., as quickly as possible. - Probably Esquimaux, or Indians. 12 THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. thought the likeliest place to build. It may be it was a true word I spoke, that I should dwell there for a time. There ye shall bury me, and set crosses at my head and feet, and call it Krossanes ^ henceforth." Greenland was then Christianized ; but Eirek the Red had died before Christianity came thither. Now Thorvald died ; but they did every thing accord ing as he had said, and then went and found their com- panions, and told each other the news they had to tell, and lived there that winter, and gathered grapes and vines for loading the ship. Then in the spring they made ready to sail for Greenland, and came with their ship to Eireksfirth, and had great tidings to tell tc Leif. V. — Karlsefni's Adventures. [Karlsefni, a rich Norwegian, came to Greenland, staid at Leif" s house. married a wife, and was finally persuaded to bring a colon)' of sixty me" and five women to Vinland.] This agreement made Karlsefni and his seamen, that they should have even handed ^ all that they should get in the way of goods. They had with them all sorts of cattle, as they thought to settle there if they might. Karlsefni begged Leif for his house in Vinland ; but he said he would lend him the house, but not give it. Then they bore out to the sea with the ship, and came to Leif's booths, hale and whole, and landed there their cattle. There soon came into their hands a great and good prize ; for a whale was driven ashore, both great and good ; then they went to cut up the whale, and 1 Cross Cape, or Cape of the Cross. ^ i.e_^ in equal shares. KARLSEFNI S ADVENTURES. 13 had no scarcity of food. The cattle went up into the country ; and it soon happened that the male cattle became wild and unruly. They had with them a bull. Karlsefni had wood felled, and brought to the ship, and had the wood piled on the cliff to dry. They had all the good things of the country, both of grapes, and of all sorts of game and other things. After the first winter came the summer ; then they saw appear the Skraelings, and there came from out the wood a great number of men. Near by were their neat-cattle ; and the bull took to bellowing, and roared loudly, whereat the Skrael- ings were frightened, and ran off with their bundles. These were furs and sable- skins, and skin-wares of all , . , A 1 il ^ 1 ESQUIMAU BOAT. kmds. And they turned toward Karlsefni's booths, and wanted to get into the house ; but Karlsefni had the doors guarded. Neither party understood the other's language. Then the Skraelings took down their bags, and opened them, and offered them for sale, and wanted, above all, to have weapons for them. But Karlsefni forbade them to sell weapons. He took this plan : he bade the women bring out their dairy-stuff ^ for them ; and, so .ooon as they saw this, they would have that, and noth- ing more. Now this was the way the Skraelings traded : they bore off their wares in their stomachs. But Karlsefni and his companions had their bags and skin-wares, and so they parted. Now hereof is this to say, that Karlsefni had posts driven strongly round 1 Milk, butter, &c. 14 THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN. about his booths, and made all complete. At this time Gudrid, the wife of Karlsefni, bore a man-child, and he was called Snorri. In the beginning of the next winter the Skraelings came to them again, and were many more than before ; and they had the same wares as before. Then Karlsefni said to the women, " Now bring forth the same food that was most liked before, and no other." And, when they saw it, they cast their bundles in over the fence, . . . [But one of them being killed by one of Karlsefni's men, they all fled in haste, and left their garments and wares behind.] " Now I think we need a good counsel," said Karlsefni ; "for I think they will come for the third time in anger, and with many men. Now we must do this : ten men must go out on that ness,^ and show themselves there ; but another party must go into the wood, and hew a place for our neat-cattle when the foe shall come from the wood ; and we must take the bull, and let him go before us." But thus it was with the place where they thought to meet, that a lake was on one side, and the wood on the other. Now it was done as Karlsefni had said. Now came the Skraelings to the place where Karlsefni had thougnt should be the battle ; and now there was a battle, and many of the Skraelings fell. There was one large and handsome man among the Skraelings ; and Karlsefni thought he might be their leader. Now one of the Skraelings had taken up an axe, and looked at it a while, and struck at one of his fellows, and hit him, whereupon he fell dead ; then the large man took the axe, and looked at it a while, and threw it into the sea as far as he could. But after that 1 Cape. KARLSEFNIS ADVENTURES. 15 they fled to the wood, each as fast as he could ; and thus ended the strife. Karlsefni and his companions were there all that winter ; but in the spring Karlsefni said he would stay there no longer, and would fare to Greenland. Now they made ready for the voyage, and bare thence much goods, namely, grape-vines and grapes and skin-wares. Now they sailed into the sea, and came whole with their ships to Eireksfirth, and were there that winter. DUTCH MAN-OF-WAK. BOOK II. COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. (A.D. I492-I503.) RECEPTION OF COLUMBUS BY FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. The following passages are taker from "Select Letters of Cliristopher Columbus," published by the Ilakluyt Society, London, 1847, pp. 1-17, 20-22, 27, 33-36, 40-42, ii.(-i2i, 129-138, 200-202, 205-210, 214-225. These letters were translated by R. H. Major, Esq., of the British Mu- seum. COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. I. — The First Letter from Columbus. [This letter was written on board ship, by Columbus, March 14, 1493, " to the noble Lord Raphael Sanchez, Treasurer to their most invincible Majesties, Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain." It was written in Spanish, but the original is supposed to be lost. Latin trans- lations of it were made and published in different cities ; and a poetical translation was made in Italian, and was sung about the streets of Italy. KNOWING that it will afford you pleasure to learn that I have brought my undertaking to a success- ful termination, I have decided upon writing you this letter to acquaint you with all the events which have occurred in my voyage, and the discoveries which have resulted from it. Thirty-three days after my departure from Cadiz, I reached the Lidian Sea,^ where T dis- covered many islands, thickly peopled, of which I took possession, without resistance, in the name of our most illustrious Monarch, by public proclamation and with unfurled banners. To the first of these islands, which 1 Columbus always supposed that he had reached India, and therefore always called the natives Indians. 19 20 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, is called by the Indians Guanahani, I gave the name of the blessed Saviour (San Salvador), relying upon whose protection I had reached this as well as the other islands. To each of these I also gave a name, ordering that one should be called Santa Maria de la Concepcion ; another, Fernandina; the third, Isabella; the fourth, Juana; and so with all the rest respectively. As soon as we arrived at that, which, as I have said, was named Juana,^ I proceeded along its coast a short distance westward, and found it to be so large, and apparently without termination, that I could not sup- pose it to be an island, but the continental province of Cathay.^ Seeing, however, no towns or populous places on the seacoast, but only a few detached houses and cottages, with whose inhabitants I was unable to com- municate, because they fled as soon as they saw us, I went further on, thinking, that, in my progress, I should certainly find some city or village. At length, after proceeding a great way, and finding that nothing new presented itself, and that the line of coast was leading us northwards, I resolved not to at- tempt any further progress, but rather to turn back, and retrace my course to a certain bay that I had observed, and from which I afterwards despatched two of our men to ascertain whether there were a king or any cities in that province. These men reconnoitred the country for three days, and found a most numerous population, and great numbers of houses, though small, and built with- out any regard to order ; with which information they returned to us. In the mean time, I had learned from some Indians whom I had seized, that that country was 1 Cuba. 2 Or Tartary. THE FIRST LETTER FROM COLUMBUS. 2 1 certainly an island ; and therefore I sailed towards the east, coasting to the distance of three hundred and twenty-two miles, which brought us to the extremity of it : from this point I saw lying eastwards another island, fifty-four miles distant from Juana, to which I gave the name of Espanola.^ . . . All these islands are very beautiful, and distinguished by a diversity of scenery. They are filled with a great variety of trees of immense height, and which I believe to retain their foliage in all seasons ; for when I saw them they were as verdant and luxuriant as they usually are in Spain in the month of May, — some of them were blossoming, some bearing fruit, and all flourishing in the greatest perfection, according to their respective stages of growth, and the nature and quality of each : yet the islands are not so thickly wooded as to be im- passable. The nightingale and various birds were singing in countless numbers, and that in November, the month in which I arrived there. . . . None of them,'^ as I have already said, are possessed of any iron ; neither have they weapons,' being unac- quainted with, and, indeed, incompetent to use, them ; not from any deformity of body — for they are well formed, — but because they are timid, and full of fear. They carry, however, in lieu ^ of arms, canes dried in the sun, on the ends of which they fix heads of dried wood sharpened to a point : and even these they dare not use habitually ; for it has often occurred, when I have sent two or three of my men to any of the villages to speak with the natives, that they have come out in a disorderly 1 Or Hispaniola, meaning Little Spain. The island is now called Hayti. 2 fhe natives. 3 Instead. 22 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. troop, and have fled in such haste, at the approach of our men, that the fathers forsook their children, and the children their fathers. This timidity did not arise from any loss or injury that they had received from us ; for, on the contrary, I gave to all I approached whatever articles I had about me, such as cloth, and many other things, taking nothing of theirs in return : but they are naturally timid and fearful. As soon, however, as they see that they are safe, and have laid aside all fear, they are very simple and honest, and exceedingly liberal with all that they have, none of them refusing any thing he may possess when he is asked for it, but, on the contrary, inviting us to ask them. They exhibit great love towards all others in preference to themselves : they also give objects of great value for trifles, and content themselves with very little, or nothing, in return. I, however, forbade that these trifles and articles of no value — such as pieces of dishes, plates and glass, keys, and leather straps — should be given to them, although, if they could obtain them, they imagined themselves to be possessed of the most beautiful trinkets in the world. It even happened that a sailor received for a leather strap as much gold as was worth three golden nobles ; and for things of more trifling value offered by our men, especially newly coined hlancas^ or any gold coins, the Indians would give what- ever the seller required ; as, for instance, an ounce and a half or two ounces of gold, or thirty or forty pounds of cotton ; with which commodity they were already ac- quainted. 1 A small coin, wortli less than a cent. A noble was a gold coin, worth about %\.i)0. THE FIRST LETTER FROM COLUMBUS. 25 Thus they bartered, like idiots, cotton and gold for fragments of bows, glasses, bottles, and jars ; which I forbade, as being unjust, and myself gave them many beautiful and acceptable articles which I had brought with me, taking nothing from them in return. I did this in order that I might the more easily conciliate them, that they might bd led to become Christians, and be inclined to entertain a regard for the king and queen, our princes, and all Spaniards ; and that I might induce them to take an interest in seeking out, and collecting, and delivering to us, such things as they possessed in abundance, but which we greatly needed. They practise no kind of idolatry, but have a firm belief that all strength and power, and indeed all good things, are in heaven, and I had descended from thence with these ships and sailors ; and under this impression was I received after they had thrown aside their fears. Nor are they slow or stupid, but of very clear under- standing ; and those men who have crossed to the neighboring islands give an admirable description of every thing they observed : but they never saw any peo- ple clothed, nor any ships like ours. On my arrival at that sea, I had taken some Indians by force from the first island that I came to, in order that they might learn our language, and communicate to us what they knew respecting the country ; which plan succeeded excellently, and was a great advantage to us ; for in a short time, either by gestures and signs, or by words, ^ve were enabled to understand each other. These men are still travelling with me, and, although they have been with us now a long time, they continue to entertain the idea that I have descended from heaven ; 24 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. and on our arrival at any new place they publish this, crying out immediately with a loud voice to the other Indians, " Come ! come and look upon beings of a celes- tial race ; " upon which both women and men, children and adults, young men and old, when they got rid of the fear they at first entertained, would come out in throngs, crowding the roads to see us, some bringing food, others drink, with astonishing affection and kindness. Each of these islands has a great number of canoes, built of solid wood, narrow, and not unlike our double- banked boats in length and shape, but swifter in their motion : they steer them only by the oar. These canoes are of various sizes ; but the greater number are con- structed with eighteen banks ^ of oars : and with these they cross to the other islands, which are of countless number, to carry on traffic with the people. I saw some of these canoes that held as many as seventy-eight rowers. In all these islands there is no difference of physiognomy, of manners, or of language ; but they al! clearly understand each other. . . . There are in the western part of the island two provinces which I did not visit : one of these is called by the Indians Anam, and its inhabitants are born with tails.- , . . Finally, to compress into few words the entire sum- mary of my voyage and speedy return, and of the advantages derivable therefrom, I promise, that, with a little assistance afforded me by our most invincible sovereigns, I will procure them as much gold as they need, as great a quantity of spices, of yatton, and of ' A bank of oars is a bench on wliich rowers sit, and there may have been four rowers on each bench. 2 No sucli race has ever been found. THE FIRST LETTER FROM COLUMBUS. 25 mastic, which is only found at Chios, and as many men for the service of the navy, as their Majesties may require. I promise, also, rhubarb, and other sorts of drugs, which I am persuaded the men whom I have left in the aforesaid fortress have found already, and will continue to find. I myself have tarried nowhere longer than I was compelled to do by the winds, except in the city of Navidad, while I provided for the building of the fortress, and took the necessary precautions for the perfect security of the men I left there. Although all I have related may appear to be wonderful and unheard of, yet the results of my voyage would have been more astonishing, if I had had at my disposal such ships as I required. . . , Thus it has happened to me in the present instance, who have accomplished a task to which the powers of mortal man have never hitherto attained ; for, if there have been those who have anywhere written or spoken of these islands, they have done so with doubts and conjectures; and no one has ever asserted that he has seen them, on which account their writings have been looked upon as little else than fables. Therefore let the king and queen, our princes and their most happy kingdoms, and all the other provinces of Christendom, render thanks to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who has granted us so great a victory, and such pros- perity. Let processions be made, and sacred feasts be held, and the temples be adorned with festive boughs. Let Christ rejoice on earth, as he rejoices in heaven, in the prospect of the salvation of the souls of so many nations hitherto lost. Let us also rejoice, as well on account of the exaltation of our faith, as on account of 26 COLUMBUS AND MIS COMPANIONS. the increase of our temporal prosperity, of which not only Spain, but all Christendom, will be partakers. Such are the events which I have briefly described. Farewell. Christopher Columbus, Admiral of the Fleet of the Ocean. Lisbon, the i4tli of March. II. — Second Voyage of Columbus. [This description is taken from a letter by Dr. Chanca, physician to the fleet of Cohimbus, to the authorities of Seville, Dr. Chanca's resi- dence.] On the first Sunday after All Saints, namely, the 3d of November [1493], about dawn, a pilot of the ship " Capitana " cried out, " The reward ! I see the land ! " The joy of the people was so great, that it was won- derful to hear their cries and exclamations of pleasure. And they had good reason to be delighted ; for they had become so wearied of bad living, and of working the water out of the ships, that all sighed most anx- iously for land. ... On the morning of the aforesaid Sunday, we saw lying before us an island ; ^ and soon on the right hand another appeared : the first was high and mountainous, on the side nearest to us ; the other flat, and very thickly wooded. As soon as it became lighter, other islands began to appear on both sides ; so that on that day there were six islands to be seen lying in different directions, and most of them of considerable size. We directed our course towards that which we had first 1 Dominica, so named from being discovered on Sunday. SECOND VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS. 27 seen ; and, reaching the coast, we proceeded more than a league in search of a port where we mighjt anchor, but without finding one. All that part of the island which we could observe appeared mountainous, very beautiful, and green even up to the water, which was delightful to see; for at that season there is scarcely any thing green in our own country. When we found that there was no harbor there, the admiral decided that we should go to the other island, which appeared on the right, and which was at four or five leagues dis- tance : one vessel, however, still remained on the first island all that day, seeking for a harbor, in case it should be necessary to return thither. At length, hav- ing found a good one, where they saw both people and dwellings, they returned that night to the fleet, which had put into harbor at the other island ; ^ and there the admiral, accompanied by a great number of men, landed with a royal banner in his hands, and took formal possession in behalf of their Majesties. . . . On this first day of our landing, several men and women came on the beach up to the water's edge, and gazed at the boats in astonishment at so novel a sight ; and, when a boat pushed on shore to speak with them, they cried out, '■^ Tayno, tayno !'" which is as much as to say, "Good, good ! " and waited for the landing of the sailors, standing by the boat in such a manner that the}i might escape when they pleased. The result was, that none of the men could be persuaded to join us ; and only two were taken by force, who were secured, and led away. . . . Another day, at the dinner-hour, we arrived at an 1 Marigalante, so named from the ship in which Cokniibus sailed. 28 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. island ^ which seemed to be worth finding ; for, judging by the e.\tent of cultivation in it, it appeared very popu- lous. We went thither, and put into harbor, when the admiral immediately sent on shore a well-manned barge to hold speech with the Indians, in order to ascertain what race they were, and also because we considered it necessary to gain some information respecting our course ; although it afterwards plainly appeared that the admiral, who had never made that passage before, had taken a very correct route. But, since doubtful questions ought always by investigation to be reduced as nearly to a certainty as possible, he wished that com- munication should be held with the natives at once; and some of the men who went in a barge leaped on shore, and went up to a village, whence the inhabitants had already withdrawn, and hidden themselves. They took in this island five or six women and some boys, most of whom were captives, like those in the other island. We learned from the women whom we had brought with us, that the natives of this place also were Caribbees. As this barge was about to return to the ships with the capture which they had taken, a canoe came along the coast, containing four men, two women, and a boy ; and, when they saw the fleet, they were so stupefied with amazement, that for a good hour they remained motionless at the distance of nearly two gun- shots from the ships. In this position they- were seen by those who were in the barge, and also by all the fleet. Meanwhile, those in the barge moved towards the canoe, but so close in siiore, that the Indians, in their perplexity and astonishment as to what all this 1 St. Martin, one of the Caribbee Islands. SECOND VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS. 29 could mean, never saw them until they were so near that escape was impossible ; for our men pressed on them so rapidly, that they could not get away, although they made considerable effort to do so. When the Caribbees saw that all attempt at flight was useless, they most courageously took to their bows, both women and men : I say most courageously, be- cause they were only four men and two women, and our people were twenty-five in number. Two of our men were wounded by the Indians, one with two arrow- shots in his breast, and another with one in his side ; and if it had not happened that they carried shields and wooden bucklers, and that they got near them with the barge, and upset their canoe, most of them would nave been killed with their arrows. After their canoe was upset, they remained in the water, swimming and occasionally wading — for there were shallows in that part, — still using their bows as much as they could ; so xhat our men had enough to do to take them : and, after all, there was one of them whom they were unable to secure till he had received a mortal wound with a lance, and whom, thus wounded, they took to the ships. The difference between these Caribbees and the other Indians, with respect to dress, consists in their wearing their hair very long ; while the others have it clipped irregularly, and paint their heads with crosses and a hundred thousand diiTerent devices, each according to his fancy, which they do with sharpened reeds. All of them, both the Caribbees and the others, are beardless ; so that it is a rare thing to find a man with a beard. The Caribbees whom we took had their eyes and eye- brows stained, which I imagine they do from ostentation, and to give them a more formidable appearance. . . . 30 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. The country ' is very remarkable, and contains a vast number of large rivers, and extensive chains of moun- tains, with broad open valleys ; and the mountains are very high. It does not appear that the grass is ever cut throughout the year. I do not think they have any winter in this part ; for near Navidad (at Christmas) were found many birds'-nests, some containing the young birds, and others containing eggs. No four- footed animal has ever been seen in this or any of the other islands, except some dogs of various colors, as in our own country, but in shape like large house-dogs ; and also some little animals, in color, size, and fur like a rabbit, with long tails, and feet like those of a rat. These animals climb up the trees ; and many who have tasted them say they are very good to eat."^ There are not any wild beasts. There are great numbers of small snakes, and some lizards, but not many ; for the Indians consider them as great a luxury as we do pheas- ants : they are of the same size as ours, but different Ml shape. In a small adjacent island, close by a harbor called Monte Christo, where we staid several days, our men saw an enormous kind of lizard,^ which they said was as large round as a calf, with a tail as long as a lance, which they often went out to kill ; but, bulky as it was, it got into the sea, so that they could not catch it. There are, both in this and the other islands, an inlinite number of birds like those in our own' country, and many others such as we had never seen. No kind of domestic fowl has been seen here, with the exception 1 Hayti, or Espafiola. - Probably a species of capromys, an animal of the rat kind. 3 Probably an alligator. COLUMBUS REACHES THE MAINLAND. 3 1 of some ducks in the houses in Zuruquia : these ducks were larger than those of Spain, though smaller than geese, — very pretty, with tufts on their heads, most of them as white as snow, but some black. Ill, — Columbus reaches the Mainland. [From his narrative of his third voyage, 149S.] I then gave up our northward course, and put in for the land. At the hour of complines * we reached a cape, which I called Cape Galea,- having already given to the island the name of Trinidad ; and here we found a harbor, which would have been excellent, but that there was no good anchorage. We saw houses and people on the spot ; and the country around was very beautiful, and as fresh and green as the gardens of Valencia in the month of March. . . . The next day I set sail in the same direction, in search of a harbor where I might repair the vessels, and take in water, as well as improve the stock of pro- visions which I had brought out with me. When we had taken in a pipe of water, we proceeded onwards till we reached the cape ; and there finding good anchor- age, and protection from the east wind, I ordered the anchors to be dropped, the water-cask to be repaired, a supply of water and wood to be taken in, and the people to rest themselves from the fatigues which they had endured for so long a time. I gave to this point the name of Sandy Point (Punta del Arenal). 1 About nine, p.m., the last hour of Roman Catholic prayers. 2 Now called Cape Galeota, the south-east point of Trinidad. 32 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. All the ground in the neighborhood was filled witl. footmarks of animals, like the impression of the foo. of a goat ; but, although it would have appeared from this circumstance that they were very numerous, only one was seen, and that was dead. On the following day a large canoe came from the eastward, containing twenty-four men, all in the prime of life, and well pro- vided with arms, such as bows, arrows, and wooden shields. They were all, as I have said, young, well- proportioned, and not dark black, but whiter than any other Indians that I had seen, — of very graceful ges- ture and handsome forms, wearing their hair long and straight, and cut in the Spanish style. Their heads were bound round with cotton scarfs elaborately worked in colors, which resembled the Moorish head-dresses. Some of these scarfs were worn round the body, and used as a covering in lieu of trousers. The nativ^es spoke to us from the canoe while it was yet at a con- siderable distance ; but none of us could understand them. I made signs to them, however, to come nearer to us ; and more than two hours were spent in this man- ner : but if, by any chance, they moved a little nearer, they soon pushed off again. I caused basins and other shining objects to be shown to them to tempt them to come near ; and, after a long time, they came somewhat nearer than they had hither- to done ; upon which, as I was very anxious to speak with them, and had nothing else to show them to in- duce them to approach, I ordered a drum to be played upon the quarter-deck, and some of our young men to dance, believing the Indians would come to see the amusement. No sooner, however, did they perceive COLUMBUS REACHES THE MAINLAND. ;^;^ the beating of the drum, and the dancing, than they all left their oars, and strung their bows, and, each man laying hold of his shield, they commenced discharging their arrows at us ; upon this the music and^ dancing soon ceased, and I ordered a charge ' to be made from some of our cross-bows : they then left us, and went rapidly to the other caravel,^ and placed themselves under its poop. The pilot of that vessel received them courteously, and gave to the man who appeared to be their chief a coat and hat ; and it was then arranged between them that he should go to speak with him on shore. Upon this the Indians immediately went thither, and waited for him ; but, as he would not go without my permission, he came to my ship in the boat, where- upon the Indians got into their .ca*wr;^lE5T!jrSi,Adwent away, and I never saw any more of;3ife^/»J' j^^^^^f the other inhabitants of th^ island. When I reached the li)int ^ ^a^enjip/I fom^ tU the Island of Trinidad formed with the la nd o f Gracjl a strait of two leagues width from east to west : ,as(^^ we had to pass through it to go tti-4iheln£itb^ we^-round some strong currents which crossed the strait, and which made a great roaring, so that I concluded there must be a reef of sand or rocks, which would preclude our entrance : and behind this current was another and another, all making a roaring noise like the sound of breakers against the rocks. I anchored there, under the said Point of Arenal, outside of the strait, and found the water rush from east to west with as much 1 Discharge. - A small vessel. 3 The coast of Cumana (South America), distant seven miles from Trinidad. 34 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. impetuosity as tliat of tlie Guadalquiver at its conflict with the sea ; and this continued constantl}' day and night, so that it appeared to be impossible to move backwards for the current, or forwards for the shoals. IV. — Columbus at the Mouth of the Orinoco. In the dead of night, while I was on deck, I heard an awful roaring that came from the south towards the ship. I stopped to observe what it might be, and I saw the sea rolling from west to east, like a mountain as high as the ship, and approaching by little and little. On the top of this rolling sea came a mighty wave, roaring with a frightful noise ; and with all this terrific uproar were other conflicting currents, producing, as I have already said, a sound as of breakers upon the rocks. To this day I have a vivid recollection of the dread I then felt, lest the ship might founder under the force of that tremendous sea ; but it passed by, and reached the mouth of the before-mentioned passage, where the uproar lasted for a considerable time. On the following day I sent. out boats to take soundings, and found that in the strait, at the deepest part of the emboHchurc^^ there were six or seven fathoms of water, and that there were constant contrary currents, — one running inwards, and the other outwards. It pleased the Lord, however, to give us a favorable wind ; and I passed through the middle of the strait, after which I recovered my tranquillity. The men happened at this time to draw up some water from the sea, which, strange 1 Mouth. COLUMBUS AT THE MOUTH OF THE ORINOCO. 35 to say, proved to be fresh. I then sailed northwards till I came to a very high mountain, at about twenty- six leagues from the Punta del Arenal : here two lofty headlands appeared, — one towards the east,' and form- ing part of the Island of Trinidad ; and the other on the west," being part of the land which I have already called Gracia. We found here a channel ^ still narrower than that of Arenal, with similar currents, and a tre- mendous roaring of water : the water here also was fresh. Hitherto I had held no communication with any of the people of this coun- ^ , ^ try, although I very ear- ^"^^^^' nestly desired it. I there- fore sailed along the coast westwards ; and, the farther I advanced, the fresher and more wholesome I found the water ; and, when I had proceeded a considera- ble distance, I reached a spot where the land appeared to be culti- vated. ... I then an- chored at the mouth of a river ; and we were soon visited by a great number of the inhabitants, who informed us that the country was called Paria, and that farther westward it was more fully peopled. I took four of these natives, and proceeded on my west- 1 Point Pena Blanca. - Point Pena. 3 Boca Grande. The fresh water was river water. FLEET OF COLUMBUS. 36 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. ward voyage ; and, when I had gone eight leagues far- ther, I found on the other side of a point, which I called the Needle,^ one of the most lovely countries in the world, and very thickly peopled. It was three o'clock in the morning when I reached it ; and, seeing its verdure and beauty, I resolved to anchor there, and communicate with the inhabitants. Some of the natives came out to the ship in canoes, to beg me, in the name of their king, to go on shore. And, when they saw that I paid no attention to them, they came to the ship in their canoes in countless number ; many of them wearing pieces of gold on their breasts, and some with bracelets of pearl on their arms. V. — Columbus thinks Himself near the Earthly Paradise. [From the same narrative. It was generally believed, in the time of Columbus, that the Garden of Eden, or earthly paradise, still existed somewhere on the globe. Irving's Columbus (appendi.x) gives an account of these views.] I HAVE always read, that the world comprising the land and water was spherical, as is testified by the investigations of Ptolemy and others, who have proved it by the eclipses of the moon, and other observations made from east to west, as well as by the elevation of the pole from north to south. But I have now seen so much irregularity, as I have already described, that I have come to another conclusion respecting the earth ; namely, that it is not round, as they describe, but of the 1 Now called Point Alcatraz, or Point Pelican. NEAR THE EARTHLY PARADISE. 37 form of a pear, which is very round except where the stalk grows, at which part it is most prominent. . . . Ptolemy, and the others who have written upon the globe, had no information respecting this part of the world, which was then unexplored : they only estab- lished their arguments with respect- to their own hemi- sphere, which, as I have already said, is half of a perfect sphere. And, now that your Highnesses have commis- sioned me to make this voyage of discovery, the truths which I have stated are evidently fvroved. ... I do not find, nor have ever found, any account by the Romans or Greeks, which fixes in a positive manner the site of the terrestrial paradise ; neither have I seen it given in any mappe-monde} laid down from authentic sourtes. Some placed it in Ethiopia, at the sources of the Nile ; but others, traversing all these countries, found neither the temperature, nor the altitude of the sun, correspond with their ideas respecting it ; nor did it appear that the overwhelming waters of the deluge had been there. Some Pagans pretended to adduce arguments to establish that it was in the Fortunate Islands, now called the Canaries, &c. . . . I have already described my ideas concerning this hemisphere and its form ; and I have no doubt, that if I could pass below the equinoctial line, after reaching the highest point of which I have spoken, I should find a much milder temperature, and a variation in the stars and in the water ; not that I suppose that elevated point to be navigable, nor even that there is water there : indeed, I believe it is impossible to ascend thither, because I am convinced that it is the spot of 1 Atlas. 38 COLUMIJUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. the earthly paradise, whither no one can go but by God's permission. But this hind which your High- nesses have now sent me to explore is very extensive ; and I think there are many countries in the south, of which the world has never had any knowledge. I do not suppose -that the earthly paradise is in the form of a rugged mountain, as the descriptions of it have made it appear, but that it is on the summit of the spot which I have described as being in the form of the stalk of a pear. The approach to it from a dis- tance must be by a constant and gradual ascent ; but I believe, that, as I have already said, no one could evei reach the top. I think, also, that the water I have described may proceed from it, though it be far off, and that, stopping at the place which I have just left, it forms this lake. ' There are great indications of this being the terrestrial paradise; for its site coincides with the opinion of the holy and wise theologians whom I have mentioned. And, moreover, the other evidences agree with the supposition ; for I have never either read or heard of fresh water coming in so large a quantity, in close conjunction with the water of the sea. The idea is also corroborated by the blandness of the tem- perature. And, if the water of which I speak does not proceed from the earthly paradise, it appears to be still more marvellous ; for I do not believe that there is any river in the world so large or so deep. DARING DEED OF DIEGO MENDEZ, 39 VI. — Daring Deed of Diego Mendez. [Taken from the last will of Diego Mendez. These adventures hap- pened on the fourth voyage of Columbus, in 1502.] When we were shut in at the mouth of the River Belen, or Yebra, through the violence of the sea, and the winds whicli drove up the sand, and raised such a mountain of it as to close up the entrance of the port, his lordship^ being there greatly afflicted, a multitude of Indians collected together on shore to burn the ships, and kill us all, pretending that they were going to make war against other Indians. . . . Upon his con- sulting me as to the best manner of proceeding so as clearly to ascertain what was the intention of the people, I offered to go to them with one single companion; and this task I undertook, though more certain of death than of life in the result. After journeying along the beach up to the River of Veragua, I found two canoes of strange Indians, who related to me more in detail, that these people were indeed collected together to burn our ships, and kill us all, and that they had forsaken their purpose in con- sequence of the boat which had come up to the spot, but that they intended to return after two days to make the attempt once more. I then asked them to carry me in their canoes to the upper part of the river, offering to remunerate them if they would do so. But they excused themselves, and advised me by no means to go, for that both myself and my companion would cer- tainly be killed. 1 Columbus. 40 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. At length, in spite of their advice, I prevailed upon them to take me in their canoes to the upper part of the river, until I reached the villages of the Indians, whom I had found in order of battle. They, however, would not, at first, allow me to go to the principal residence of the cacique, till I pretended that I was come as a surgeon to cure him of a wound that he had in his leg. Then, after making them some presents, they suffered me to proceed to the seat of royalty, which was situated on the top of a hillock, surmounted by a plain, with a large square surrounded by three hundred heads of the ene- mies he had slain in battle. When I had passed through the square, and reached the royal house, there was a great clamor of women and children at the gate, who ran into the palace screaming. Upon this, one of the chief's sons came out in a high passion, uttering angry words in his own language ; and laying hands upon me, with one push he thrust me far away from him. In order to appease him, I told him I was come to cure the wound in his father's leg, and showed him an ointment that I had brought for that purpose ; but he replied, that on no account whatever should I go in to the place where his father was. When I saw that I had no chance of appeasing him in that way, I took out a comb, a pair of scissors, and a mirror, and caused Escobar, my companion, to comb my hair, and then cut it off. When the Indian, and those who were with him, saw this, they stood in astonishment; upon which I prevailed on him to suffer his own hair to be combed and cut by Escobar, I then made him a present of the scissors, with the comb and the mirror ; and thus he became appeased. After this, I begged him to allow DARING DEED OF DIEGO MENDEZ 4I some food to be brought, which was soon done ; and we ate and drank in love and good-fellowship, like very good friends. I then left him, and returned to the ships, and related all this to my lord the admiral, who was not a little pleased when he heard all these circumstances, and the things that had happened to me. He ordered a large stock of provisions to be put into the ships, and into certain straw houses that we had built there, with a view that I should remain, with some of the men, to examine and ascertain the secrets of the country. The next morning his lordship called me to ask my advice as to what ought to be done. My opinion was, that we ought to seize that chief and all his captains, because, when they were taken, great numbers of the people would submit. His lordship was of the same opinion. I then submitted the stratagem and plan by which this might be accomplished ; and his lordship ordered that the adelantado^ his brother, and I, accompanied by eighty men, should go to put it into execution. We went ; and our Lord gave us such good fortune, that we took the cacique, and most of his captains, his wives, sons, and grandsons, with all the princes of his race ; but in sending them to the ships, thus captured, the cacique extricated himself from the too slight grasp of the man who held him, — a circumstance which afterwards caused us much injury. At this moment it pleased God to cause it to rain very heavily, occa- sioning a great flood, by which the mouth of the harbor was opened, and the admiral enabled to draw out the ships to sea, in order to proceed to Spain ; 1 President, or governor. 42 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. I, meanwhile, remaining on land as accountant of his Highness, with seventy men, and the greater part of the provisions of biscuit, wine, oil, and vinegar being left with me. , VII. — How Diego Mendez got Food for Columbus. [Also taken from the last will of Diego Mendez.] On the last day of April, in the year fifteen hundred and three, we left Veragua, with three ships, intending to make our passage homeward to Spain ; but, as the ships were all pierced and eaten by the teredo,' we could not keep them above water. We abandoned one of them after we had proceeded thirty leagues : the two which remained were even in a worse condition than that ; so that all the hands were not sufficient, with the use of pumps and kettles and pans, to draw off the water that came through the holes made by the worms. In this state, with the utmost toil and danger, we sailed for thirty-five days, thinking to reach Spain ; and at the end of this time we arrived at the lowest point of the island of Cuba, at the province of Homo, where the city of Trinidad now stands ; so that we were three hundred leagues farther from Spain than when we left Veragua for the purpose of proceeding thither, — and this, as I have said, with the vessels in very bad con- dition, unfit to encounter the sea, and our provisions nearly gone. It pleased God that we were enabled to reach the island of Jamaica, where we drove the two 1 Ship-worm. HOW MENDEZ GOT FOOD FOR COLUMBUS. 43 ships on shore, and made of them two cabins, thatched with straw, in which we took up our dwelling ; not, however, without considerable danger from the natives, who were not yet subdued, and who might easily set fire to our habitation in the night, in spite of the greatest watchfulness. It was there that I gave out the last ration of biscuit and wine. I then took a sword in my hand, three men only accompanying me, and advanced into the island ; for no one else dared go to seek food for the admiral and those who were with him. It pleased God that I found some people who were very gentle, and did us no harm, but received us cheerfully, and gave us food with hearty good-will. I then made a stipulation with the Indians who lived in a village called Aguacadiba, and with their cacique, that they should make cassava bread, and that they should hunt and fish to supply the admiral every day with a sufficient quantity of provisions, which they were to bring to the ships, where I promised there should be a person ready to pay them in blue beads, combs aiid knives, hawks-bells and fish-hooks, and other such arti- cles, which we had with us for that purpose. With this understanding, I despatched one of the Spaniards whom I had brought with me to the admiral, in order that he might send a person to pay for the provisions, and secure their being sent. From thence I went to another village, at three leagues' distance from the former, and made a similar agreement with the natives and their cacique, and then despatched another Spaniard to the admiral, begging him to send another person with a similar object to this village. After this I went farther on, and came to a great cacique named Huarco, living in a place 44 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. which is now called Melil'ia, thirteen leagues from where the ships lay. I was veiy well received by him. He gave me plenty to eat, and ordered all his subjects to bring together, in the course of three days, a great quantity of provisions, which they did, and laid them before him, whereupon I paid him for them to his full satisfaction. I stipulated with him that they should furnish a constant supply, and engaged that there should be a person appointed to pay them. Having made this arrangement, I sent the other Spaniard to the admiral, with the provisions they had given me, and then begged the cacique to allow me two Indians to go with me to the extremity of the island, — one to carry the hammock in which I slept, and the other carrying the food. In this manner I journeyed eastward to the end of the island, and came to a cacique who was named Ameyro, with whom I entered into close friendship. I gave him my name, and took his, which, amongst this people, is regarded as an evidence of bro- therly attachment. I bought of him a very good canoe, and gave him in exchange an excellent brass helmet that I carried in a bag, a frock, and one of the two shirts that I had with me : I then put out to sea in this canoe, in search of the place that I had left, the cacique having given me six Indians to assist in guiding the canoe. When I reached the spot to which I had despatched the provisions, I found there the Spaniards whom the admiral had sent ; and I loaded them with the victuals which I had brought with me, and went myself to the admiral, who gave me a very cordial reception. He was not satisfied with seeing and embracing me, but asked me HOW DIEGO MENDEZ SAVED COLUMBUS. 45 respecting every thing that had occurred in the voyage, and offered up thanks to God for having deHvered me in safety from so barbarous a people. The men rejoiced greatly at my arrival ; for there was not a loaf left in the ships when I returned to them with the means of allaying their hunger. This, and every day after that, the Indians came to the ships, loaded with provisions from the places where I had made the agreements ; so that there was enough for the two hundred and thirt} people who were with the admiral. VIII, — How Diego Mendez saved Columbus, FFrom the same narrative.] Ten days after this, the admiral called me aside, and spoke to me of the great peril he was in, addressing me as follows : " Diego Mendez, my son, not one of those whom I have here with me has any idea of the great danger in which we stand, except myself and you ; for we are but few in number, and these wild Indians are numerous, and very fickle and capricious ; and when- ever they may take it into their heads to come and burn us in our two ships, which we have made into straw- thatched cabins, they may easily do so by setting fire to them on the land side, and so destroy us all. The arrangement you have made with them for the supply of food, to which they agreed with such good-will, may soon prove disagreeable to them ; and it would not be surprising, if, on the morrow, they were not to bring us any thing at all. In such case, we are not in a position to take it by main force, but shall be compelled to 46 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. accede to their terms. I have thought of a remedy, if you consider it advisable ; which is, tliat some one should go out in the canoe that you have purchased, and make his way in it to Espanola, to purchase a vessel with which we may escape from the extremely dangerous position in which we now are. Tell me your opinion." To which I answered, " My lord, I distinctly see the danger in which we stand, which is much greater than would be readily imagined. With respect to the pas- sage from this island to Espanola in so small a vessel as a canoe, I look upon it not merely as difficult, but impossible ; for I know not who would venture to en- counter so terrific a danger as to cross a gulf of forty leagues of sea, and amongst islands where the sea is so impetuous, and scarcely ever at rest." His lordship did not agree with the opinion that I expressed, but adduced strong arguments to show that I was the person to undertake the enterprise. To which I replied, " My lord, I have many times put my life in danger to save yours and the lives of all those who are with you, and God has marvellously preserved me. In consequence of this, there have not been wanting mur- murers, who have said that your lordship intrusts every honorable undertaking to me, while there are others amongst them who would perform them as well as I. My opinion is, therefore, that your lordship would do well to summon all the men, and lay this business before them ; to see if, amongst them all, there is one who will volunteer to undertake it, which I certainly douljt ; and, if all refuse, I \Vill risk my life in your service, as 1 have many times already." On the following day his lordship caused all the me> HOW DIEGO MENDE2 SAVED COLUMBUS. 47 to appear together before him, and then opened the matter to them in the same manner as he had done to me. When they heai d it, they were all silent, until some said that it was out of the question to speak of such a thing ; for it was impossible, in so small a craft, to cross a boisterous and perilous gulf of forty leagues' breadth, and to pass between those two islands, where very strong vessels had been lost in going to make discoveries, not being able to encounter the force and fury of the currents. I then arose, and said, " My lord, I have but one life, and I am willing to hazard it in the service of your lordship, and for the welfare of all those who are here with us ; for I trust in God, that, in consideration of the motive which actuates me, he will give me deliverance, as he has already done on many other occasions." When the admiral heard my determination, he arose and embraced me, and, kissing me on the cheek, said, " Well did I know that there was no one here but your- self who would dare to undertake this enterprise. I trust in God, our Lord, that you will come out of it vic- toriously, as you have done in the others which you have undertaken." On the following day I drew my canoe on to the shore, fixed a false keel on it, and pitched and greased it : I then nailed some boards upon the poop and prov/, to prevent the sea from coming in, as it was liable to do from the lowness of the gunwales. I also fixed a mast in it, set up a sail, and laid in the necessary pro- visions for myself, one Spaniard, and six Indians, mak- ing eight in all, which was as many as the canoe would hold. I then bade farewell to his lordship and all the 48 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. Others, and proceeded along the coast of Jamaica up to the extremity of the island, which was thirty-five leagues from the point whence we started. Even this distance was not traversed without considerable toil and danger ; for on the passage I was taken prisoner by some Indian pirates, from whom God delivered me in a marvellous manner. When we had reached the end of the island, and were remaining there in the hope of the sea becom- ing sufficiently calm to allow us to continue our v^oyage across it, many of the natives collected together, with the determination of killing me, and seizing the canoe with its contents ; and they cast lots for my life, to see which of them should carry their design into execu- tion. As soon as I became aware of their project, I betook myself secretly to my canoe, which I had left at three leagues' distance from where I then was, and set sail for the spot where the admiral was staying, and reached it after an interval of fifteen days from my departure. I related to him all that had happened, and how God had miraculously rescued me from the hands of those savages. His lordship was very joyful at my arrival, and asked me if I would recommence my voyage. I replied that I would, if I might be allowed to take some men to be with me at the extremity of the island until I should find a fair opportunity of putting to sea to prose- cute my voyage. The admiral gave me seventy men, and with them, his brother the adclantado, to stay with me until I put to sea, and to remain there three days after my departure. With this arrangement, I returned to the extremity of the island, and remained there four days. HOW DIEGO MENDEZ SAVED COLUMBUS. 49 Finding the sea become calm, I parted from the rest of the men with much mutual sorrow. I then com- mended myself to God and our Lady of Antigua, and was at sea five days and four nights without laying down the oar from my hand, but continued steering the canoe while my companions rowed. It pleased God, that, at the end of five days, I reached the Island of Espanola at Cape San Miguel, having been two days without eating or drinking ; for our provisions were ex- hausted. I brought my canoe up to a very beautiful part of the coast, to which many of the natives soon came, and brought with them many articles of food ; so that I remained there two days to take rest. I took six Indians from this place, and, leaving those that I had brought with me, I put off to sea again, moving along the coast of Espanola ; for it was a hundred and thirty leagues from the spot where I landed to the city of San Domingo, where the governor dwelt. . . . When that expedition was finished, I went on foot to San Domingo, a distance of seventy leagues, and waited in expectation of the arrival of ships from Spain, it being now more than a year since any had come. In this interval, it pleased God that three ships arrived, one of which I bought, and loaded it with provisions, — bread, wine, meat, hogs, sheep, and fruit, — and de- spatched it to the place where the admiral was staying, in order that he might come over in it with all his people to San Domingo, and from thence sail for Spain. I myself went on in advance with the two other ships in order to give an account to the king and queen of all that had occurred in this voyage. I think I should now do well to say somewhat of the 50 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. events which occurred to the admiral and to his family during the year that they were left on the island. A few days after my departure, the Indians became refrac- tory, and refused to bring food, as they had hitherto done. The admiral, therefore, caused all the caciques to be summoned, and expressed to them his surprise that they should not send food as they were wont to do, knowing, as they did, and as he had already told them, that he had come there by the command of God. He said that he perceived that God was angry with them, and that he would that very night give tokens of his displeasure by signs that he would cause to appear in the heavens ; and as, on that night, there was to be an almost total eclipse of the moon, he told them that God caused that appearance, to signify his anger against them for not bringing the food. The Indians, believ- ing him, were very frightened, and promised that they would always bring him food in future • and so, in fact, they did, until the arrival of the ship which I had sent loaded with provisions. The admiral, and those who were with him, felt no small joy at the arrival of this ship. And his lordship afterwards informed me in Spain, that in no part of his life did he ever experience so joyful a day ; for he had never hoped to have left that place alive. And in that same ship he set sail, and went to San Domingo, and thence to Spain. APPEAL OF COLUMBUS IN HIS OLD AGE. 5 1 IX. — Appeal of Columbus in his Old Age. [To the King and Oxen uf Spain. Taken from his letter (1503) describing his fourth voyage.] Such is my fate, that the twenty years of service through which I have passed with so much toil and danger have profited me nothing, and at this very day I do not possess a roof in Spain that I can call my own. If I wish to eat or sleep, I have nowhere to go but to the inn or tavern, and most times lack wherewith to pay the bill. Another anxiety wrung my very heart-strings, which was the thought of my son Diego, whom I had left an orphan in Spain, and stripped of the honor and property which were due to him on my account, although I had looked upon it as a certainty that your Majesties, as just and grateful princes, would restore it to him in all respects with increase. , . . For seven years was I at your royal court, where every one to whom the enterprise was mentioned treated it as ridiculous ; but now there is not a man, down to the very tailors, who does not beg to be allowed to become a discoverer. There is reason to believe that they make the voyage only for plunder, and that they are permitted to do so to the great disparagement of my honor, and the detriment of the undertaking itself. It is right to give God his due, and to receive that which belongs to one's self. This is a just sentiment, and proceeds from just feelings. The lands in this part of the world, which are now under your Highnesses' sway, are richer and more extensive than those of any other Christian power ; and yet, after that I had, by the divine will, placed them under your high and royal sovereignty, and was on the 52 COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS. point of bringing your Majesties into the receipt of a very great and unexpected revenue ; and while I was waiting for ships to convey me in safety, and with a heart full of joy, to your royal presence, victoriously to announce the news of the gold that I had discovered, I was arrested, and thrown with my two brothers, loaded with irons, into a ship, stripped, and very ill treated, without being allowed any appeal to justice. . . . I was twenty-eight years old when I came into your Highnesses' service, and now I have not a hair upon me that is not gray : my body is infirm, and all that was left to me, as well as to my brothers, has been taken away and sold, even to the frock that I wore, to my great dishonor. I cannot but believe that this was clone without your royal permission. The restitution of my honor, the reparation of my losses, and the punishment of those who have inflicted them, will redound to the honor of your royal character. A similar punishment also is due to those who have plundered me of my pearls, and who have brought a disparagement upon the privileges of my admiralty. Great and unexampled will be the glory and fame of your Highnesses, if you do this ; and the memory of your Highnesses, as just and grateful sovereigns, will survive as a bright example to Spain in future ages. The honest devotedness I have always shown to your Majesties' service, and the so unmerited outrage with which it has been repaid, will not allow my soul to keep silence, however much I may wish it. I implore your Highnesses to forgive my com- plaints. I am indeed in as ruined a condition as I have related. Hitherto T have wept over others : may Heaven now have mercy upon me, and may the earth weep for me ! BOOK III. CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. fA.D. 1 497-1 524.) SHlh UK THE ISTH CENTURY. The first of these extracts in regard to the Cabots may be found in one of the llakhiyt Society s volumes, entitled " Henry Hudson the Navi- gator, edited by G. M. Asher," London, i860, p. Ixix. The extracts which follow are from another volume of the same series, entitled " Hakluyt's Divers Voyages," London, 1850, pp. 23-26. Verrazzano's narrative is taken from "Hakluyt's Divers Voyages,'' same edition, pp. 55-71. Another translation, by J. G. Cogswell, may be found, with the original Italian narrative, in the Collections of the New York Historical Society, second series, vol. i. CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. I. — First News of John and Sebastian Cabot. [From a letter written by Lorenzo Pasqualigo, from London, to liis Drothers in Venice, and dated Aug. 23, 1497.] THIS Venetian of ours, who went with a ship from Bristol in quest of new islands, is returned, and says that seven hundred leagues hence he discovered " terra firma," ' which is the territory of the Grand Cham.^ He coasted for three hundred leagues, and landed. He saw no h'uman being whatsoever ; but he has brought hither to the king certain snares which had been set to catch game, and a needle for making nets ; he also found some felled trees : wherefore he supposed there were inhabitants, and returned to his ship in -alarm. He was three months on the voyage, it is quite 1 Firm land, or continent. 2 The name then given to the sovereign of Tartary, now called " Khan." Shakspeare, in " Much Ado about Nothing," written about 1600, says, " Fetch you a hair off the great Cham's beard." 55 56 CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. certain ; and, coming back, he saw two islands to star- board, but would not land, time being precious, as he was short of provisions. The king is much pleased with this intelligence. He says that the tides are slack, and do not flow as they do here. The king has promised, that, in the spring, he shall have ten ships armed according to his own fancy ; and, at his request, he has conceded to him all the prisoners, except such as are confined for high treason, to man them with. He has also given him money wherewith to amuse himself till then ; and he is now at Bristol with his wife, who is a Venetian woman, and with his sons. His name is Zuan ' Cabot; and they call him the great admiral. Vast honor is paid him, and he dresses in silk ; and these English run after him like mad people, so that he can enlist as many of them as he pleases, and a number of our own rogues besides. The discoverer of these places planted on his new- found land a large cross, with one flag of England, and another of St. Mark, by reason of his being a Vene- tian ; so that our banner has floated very far afield. II. — Sebastian Cabot's Voyage. [The following notes, preserved in " Hakluyt's Voyages," give the earliest authentic information about Sebastian Cabot.] A note of Sebastian Cabot's Voyage of Discover)', taken out of an old Clironicle written by Robert Fabian, sometime Alderman of London, which is in the custody 1 John. SEBASTIAN CABOT S VOYAGE. 57 of John Stowe, Citizen,, a diligent searcher and pre- server of Antiquities. This year ' the King ^ — by means of a Venetian which made himself very expert and cunning in knowledge of the circuit of the world and islands of the same, as by a card and other demonstrations reasonable he showed, — caused to man and victual a ship at Bristol, to search for an island which he said he knew well was rich and replenished with rich commodities. Which ship thus manned and victualled at the King's cost, divers mer- chants of London ventured in her small stocks, being in her as chief patron, the said Venetian. And in the company of the said ship sailed also out of Bristol three or four small ships fraught with slight and gross merchandises, as coarse cloth, caps, laces, points, and other trifles, and so departed from Bristol in the begin- ning of May : of whom in this Mayor's time returned no tidings. Of three savage men which he brought home, and presented unto the King in the seventeenth year of his reign. This year also were brought unto the King three men taken in the new found island, that before I spake of in William Purchas' time, being Mayor. These were clothed in beast's skins, and ate raw flesh, and spake such speech that no man could understand them, and in their demeanor like to brute beasts, whom the King kept a time after. Of the which upon two years past after, I saw two apparelled after the manner of English- men, in Westminster Palace, which at that time I could 1 1498. 2 Henry VII. 58 CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. not :!iscErn from Englishmen, till I was learned what they were. But as for speech, I heard none of them utter one word. John Baptista Ramusius, in his Preface to the third volume of the Navigations, writeth thus of Sebastian Gabot : ' — In the latter part of this volume are put certain relations of John Ue Verarzana," a Florentine, and of a great captain, a Frenchman, and the two voyages of Jaques Cartier, a Briton,^ who sailed into the land set in fifty degrees of latitude to the north, which is called New France : and the which lands hitherto it is not thoroughly known whether they do join with the firm land of Florida and Nova Hispania, or whether they be separated and divided all by the Sea as Islands : and whether by that way one may go by sea into the country of Cathaio : ^ as many years past it was written unto me by Sebastian Gabot, our countryman Venetian, a man of great experience, and very rare in the art of Navigation and the knowledge of Cosmography : who sailed along and beyond this land of New France, at the charges of King Henry the seventh. King of Eng- land. And he told me that having sailed a long time West and by North beyond these islands unto the lati- tude of sixty-seven degrees and a half under the North PolCj and at the 11 day of June, finding still the open sea without any manner of impediment, he thought verily by that way to have passed on still the way to Cathaio, which is in the East and would have 1 Cabot. ■' Verrazzano. 3 i.e., from Brittany, in France. * Cathay. SEBASTIAN CABOT S VOYAGE. 59 done it, if the mutiny of the shipmaster and mariners had not rebelled, and made him to return homewards from that place. But it seemeth that God doth yet reserve this great enterprise for some great Prince to discover this voyage of Cathaio by this way : which for the bringing of the spiceries from India into Europe were the most easy and shortest of all other ways hitherto found out. And, surely, this enterprise would be the most glorious, and of most importance of all other, that can be imagined, to make his name great, and fame immortal, to all ages to come, far more than can be done by any of all these great troubles and wars, which daily are used in Europe among the miserable Christian people. This much concerning Sebastian Gabot's discovery may suffice for a present cast : but shortly, God willing, shall come out in print, all his own maps and discoursee^, drawn and written by himself, which are in the custody of the worshipful master William Worthington, one of her Majesty's Pensioners, who — because so worthy monuments should not be buried in perpetual oblivion, — is very willing to suffer them to be overseen and pub- lished in as good order as may be, to the encouragement and benefit of our countrymen.' 1 But these papers never were printed. 6o CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. III. — Verrazzano's Lctter to the King. [This letter is said to have been written at Dieppe, July 8, 1524, being addressed to King Francis I . of France. This narrative, if authentic, is the earliest original account of the Atlantic coast of the United States. Its authenticity has been doubted; and Mr. Bancroft, in the new edition of his History, does not refer to it at all. But, as the question is still unsettled, the letter is included here.] I WROTE not to your Majesty (most Christian king), since the time we suffered the tempest in the north parts, of the success of the four ships which your Majesty sent forth to dis- cover new lands by the ocean, thinking your Majes- ty had been already duly in- formed thereof. Now by these presents I will give your Majesty to understand how, by the violence of the winds, we were forced with the two ships, the "Norman" and the " Dolphin," in such evil case as they were, to land in Brittany, Where after we had repaired them in all points as was needful, and armed them very well, we took our course along by the coast of Spain. After- wards, with the "Dolphin" alone, we determined to make discovery of new countries, to prosecute the navi- gation we had already begun ; which I purpose at this present to recount unto your Majesty, to make manifest the whole proceeding of the matter. The 17th of Janu- ary, the year 1524, by the grace of God we departed VERRAZZANO. VERRAZZANO'S LETTER TO THE KING. 6 1 from the dishabited rock/ by the Isle of Madeira, appertaining to the King of Portugal, with fifty men, with victuals, weapon, and other ship munition very well provided and furnished for eight months. And, sailing westwards with a fair easterly wind, in twenty-five days we ran five hundred leagues ; and the 20th of February we were overtaken with as sharp and terrible a tempest as ever any sailors suffered : whereof, with the divine help and merciful assistance of Almighty God, and the goodness of our ship, accompanied with the good hap of her fortunate name, we were delivered, and with a prosperous wind followed our course west by north. And in other twenty-five days we made about four hun- dred leagues more, where we discovered a new land '^ never before seen of any man, either ancient or modern. And at the first sight it seemed somewhat low ; but, being within a quarter of a league of it, we perceived, by the great fires that we saw by the seacoast, that it was inhabited, and saw that the land stretched to the southwards. . . . While we rode ^ upon that coast, partly because it had no harbor, and for that we wanted water, we sent our boat ashore with twenty-five men, where, by reason of great and continual waves that beat against tjie shore, being an open coast, without succor none of our men could possibly go ashore without losing our boat. We saw there many people which came unto the shore making divers signs of friendship, and showing that they were content we should come a-land ; and by trial we found them to be very courteous and gentle, as 1 One of the Dezertas. Dishabited means uninhabited. 2 Probably the South CaroUna coast. 3 At anclior. 62 CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. your Majesty shall understand by the success. To the intent we might send them of our things, which the Indians commonly desire and esteem, as sheets of paper, glasses, bells, and such like trifles, we sent a young man, one of our mariners, ashore, who swimming towards them, and being within three or four yards off the shore, not trusting them, cast the things upon the shore. Seeking afterwards to return, he was with such violence of the waves beaten upon the shore, that he was so bruised that he lay there almost dead, which the Indians perceiving, ran to catch him, and, drawing him out, they carried him a little way ofif from the sea. The young man, perceiving they carried him, being at the first dismayed, began then greatly to fear, and cried out piteousiy. Likewise did the Indians, which did accompany him, going about to cheer him and give him courage ; and then setting him on the ground at the foot of a little hill against the sun, began to behold him with great admiration, marvelling at the whiteness of his flesh. And, putting olT his clothes, they made him warm at a great fire, not without our great fear, which remained in the boat, that they would have roasted him at that fire and have eaten him. The young man having recovered his strength, and having staid a while with them, showed them by signs that he was desirous to return to the ship. And they with great love, clapping him fast about with many embra- cings, acconi])anying him unto the sea, and, to put him in more assurance, leaving him alone, went unto a high ground, and stood there, beholding him until he was entered into the boat. This young man observed, as we did also, that these are of color inclining to black, VERRA2ZANO S LETTER TO THE KING. 63 as the others were, with their flesh very shining, of mean stature, handsome visage, and dehcate limbs, and of very httle strength, but of prompt wit ; farther we observed not. . . . VERRAZZANO IN NEWloKT UARBOK Departing from hence, following the shore, which trended somewhat toward the north, in fifty leagues' space we came to another land, which showed much more fair, and full of woods, being very great, where we rode at anchor ; and, that we might have some knowl- edge thereof, we sent twenty men a-land,' which entered into the country about two leagues, and they found that the people were fled to the woods for fear. They saw only one old woman with a young maid of eighteen or 1 To land. 64 CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. twenty years old, which, seeing our company, hid them- selves in the grass for fear. The old woman carried two infants on her shoulders, and behind her neck a child of eight years old. The young woman was laden likewise with as many. But, when our men came unto them, the old woman made signs that the men were fled into the woods as soon as they saw us. To quiet them, and to win their favor, our men gave them such victuals as they had with them to eat, which the old woman received thankfully ; but the young woman disdained them all, and threw them disdainfully on the ground. They took a child from the old woman to bring into France ; and going about to take the young woman, which was very beautiful, and of tali stature, could not possibly, for the great outcries that she made, bring her to the sea ; and especially having great woods to pass through, and being far from the ship, we purposed to leave her behind, bearing away the child only. We found those folks to be more white than those that we found before, being clad with certain leaves that hang on the boughs of trees, which they sew together v.'ith threads of wild hemp. Their heads were trussed up after the same manner as the former were. Their ordinary food is of pulse,^ whereof they have great store, differing in color and taste from ours, of good and pleasant taste. Moreover they live by fishing and fowling, which they take with gin's - and bows made of hard wood, the arrows of canes being headed with the bones of fish and other beasts. The beasts in these parts are much wilder than in our Europe, by reason they are continually chased and hunted. J Beans, or peas. 2 Traps. VERRAZZANOS LETTER TO THE KING. 65 We saw many of their boats, made of one tree, twenty feet long and four feet broad, which are not made of iron, or stone, or any other kind of metal, because that in all this country, for the space of two hundred leagues which we ran, we never saw one stone INDIANS MAKl of any sort. They help themselves with fire, burning so much of the tree as is sufficient for the hoUowness of the boat : the like they do in making the stern and forepart, until it be fit to sail upon the sea. . . . And we came to another land,^ being fifteen leagues distant from the island, where we found a passing good haven, wherein being entered, we found about twenty small boats of the people, which, with divers cries and wonderings, came about our ship. Coming no nearer than fifty paces towards us, they staid and beheld the artificialness of our ship, our shape, and apparel, that they all made a loud shout together, declaring that they rejoiced. When we had something animated ^ them, using their gestures, they came so near us, that we 1 Probably Narragansett Bay. 2 j.g. somewhat encouraged. 66 CABOT AND VERRA2ZANO. cast them certain bells and glasses and many toys, which when they had received, they looked on them with laughing, and came without fear aboard our ship. There were amongst these people two kings of so goodly stature and shape as is possible to declare : the eldest was about forty years of age ; the second was a young man of twenty years old. Their apparel was on this manner : the elder had upon his naked body a hart's ' skin, wrought artificially with divers branches like damask. His head was bare, with the hair tied up behind with divers knots. About his neck he had a large chain garnished with divers stones of sundry colors. The young man was almost apparelled after the same manner. This is the goodliest people, and of the fairest conditions, that we have found in this our voyage. They exceed us in bigness. They are of the color of brass, some of them incline more to white- ness : others are of a yellow color, of comely visage, with long and black hair, which they are very careful to trim and deck up. . . . There are also of them which wear on their arm^ very rich skins of leopards : they adorn their heads with divers ornaments made of their own hair, which hangs down before on both sides their breasts : others use other kind of dressing themselves, like unto the woiTien of Egypt and Syria. These are of the elder sort ; and, when they are married, they wear divers toys," according to the usage of the people of the East, as well men as women. . . . Among whom we saw many plates of wrought cop- per, which they esteem more than gold, which for the 1 Deer's. - Various ornaments. VERRAZZANO'S LETTER TO THE KING. 67 color they make no account of, for that among all other it is counted the basest. They make the most account of azure and red. The things that they esteemed most of all those which we gave them were bells, crystal of azure color, and other toys to hang at their ears or about their neck. They did not desire cloth of silk or gold, much less of any other sort ; neither cared they for things made of steel and iron, which we often showed them in our armor, which they made no wonder at ; and, in beholding them, they only asked the art of making them. The like they did at our glasses,-^ which when they beheld, they suddenly laughed, and gave them us again. . . . And oftentimes one of the two kings coming with his queen, and many gentlemen for their pleasure, to see us, they all staid on the shore, two hundred paces from us, sending a small boat to give us intelligence of their coming, saying they would come to see our ship. This they did in token of safety ; and, as soon as they had answer from us, they came immediately, and, hav- ing staid awhile to behold it, they wondered at hearing the cries and noise of the mariners. The queen and her maids staid in a very light boat, at an island a quarter of a league off, while the king abode a long space in our ship, uttering divers conceits ^ with ges- tures, viewing with great admiration all the furniture of the ship, demanding the property of every thing partic- ularly. He took likewise great pleasure in beholding our apparel, and in tasting our meats, and so courte- ously taking his leave departed. And sometimes our men staying for two or three days on a little island 1 Mirrors. 2 Various exclamations. 68 CABOT AND VERRAZZANO. near the ship for divers necessaries, — as it is the use of seamen, — he returned with seven or eight of his gentlemen to see what we did, and asked of us ofttimes if we meant to make any long abode there, offering us of their provision ; then the king, drawing his bow, and running up and down with his gentlemen, made much sport to gratify our men. . . . We found another land ^ high, full of thick woods, the trees whereof were firs, cypresses, and such like as are wont to grow in cold countries. The people differ much from the other, and look ! how much the former seemed to be courteous and gentle, so much were these full of rudeness and ill manners, and so barbarous, that by no signs that ever we could make, we could have any kind of traffic with them. They clothe themselves with bears' skins, and leopards', and seals', and other beasts' skins. Their food, as far as we could perceive, repairing often unto their dwellings, we suppose to be by hunting and fishing, and of certain fruits, which are a kind of roots which the earth yieldeth of her own accord. They have no grain, neither saw we any kind or sign of tillage; neither is the land, for the barrenness thereof, apt to bear fruit or seed. If, at any time, we desired by exchange to have any of their commodities, they used to come to the seashore upon certain craggy rocks, and, we standing in our boats, they let down with a rope what it pleased them to give us, crying contin- ually that we should not approach to the land, demand- ing immediately the exchange, taking nothing but knives, fish-hooks, and tools to cut withal ; neither did they make any account of our courtesy. And when we had nothing 1 Probably the coast of Maine. VERRAZZANO'S LETTER TO THE KING. 69 left to exchange with them, when we departed from them, the people showed all signs of discourtesy and disdain as was possible for any creature to invent. We were, in despite of them, two or three leagues within the land, being in number twenty-five armed men of us. And, when we went on shore, they shot at us with their bows, making great outcries, and afterwards fled into the woods. . . . Having now spent all our provision and victuals, and having discovered about seven hundred leagues and more of new countries, and beino- furnished with water and wood, we concludcu to recurn into France. BOOK IV. THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. (A.D. I 528 -1 533.) These extracts are taken from "The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca, translated by Buckingh^jii Smith," Washington, 185 1, pp. 30-99. See, also, Henry Kingslcy's " Tales of Old Travel." THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. I. — The Strange Voyage. [Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca sailed for Florida in June, 1527, as treasurer of a Spanish artiiada, or armed fleet. In Cuba they encountered a hurricane, which delayed them ; but they at last reached the coast of Florida in February, 152S, probably landing at what is now called Charlotte Harbor. A portion of the party left their ships, and marched into the interior, reaching a region which they called Apalache, probably in what is now Alabama. Then they were driven back to the seashore, amid great hardships, losing one-third of their number before they reached Ante, now the Bay of St. Mark's. Near this they came to the sea ; and here the narrative begins.] IT was a piteous and painful thing to witness tlie perplexity and distress in which we were. At our arrival, we saw the little means there were of our advancing farther : there was not anywhere to go, and, if there had been, the people could not move forward, because the greater part of them were sick, and there were few that could be of any use. . . . The governor called them all to him, and of each by himself he asked his advice what to do to get out of a country so miserable, and seek elsewhere that remedy 73 74 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CAEEZA DE VACA. which could not here be found, a third part of the people being very sick, and the number increasing every hour • for we regarded it as certain that we should all become so, and out of it we could only pass through death ; which, from its coming in such a place, was to us only the more terrible. These and many other embarrass- ments considered, and entertaining many plans, we CABEZA DE VACA BUILDING THE BOAT. coincided in one great project, extremely difficult to put in operation, and that was, to build vessels in which we might go away. This to all appeared impossible; for we knew not how to build, nor were there tools, nor iron, nor forge, nor tow, nor resin, nor rigging ; finally, no one thing of so many that are necessary, nor any man who had a knowledge of their manufacture. And, THE STRANGE VOYAGE. 75 above all, there was nothing to eat the while they were making, nor any knowledge in those who would have to perform the labor. Reflecting on all this, we agreed to think of the subject with more deliberation ; and the discourse dropped for that day, each going his way, commending our course to God, our Lord, that he should direct it as would best serve him. The next day, it was His will that one of the company should come, saying that he could make some pipe out of wood, which, with deer-skins, might be made into bellows ; and, as we lived in a time when any thing that had the semblance of relief appeared well, we told him to set himself to work. We assented to the making of nails, saws, axes, and other tools, of which there was such need, from the stirrups, spurs, cross-bows, and the other things of iron that there were ; and we said, that, for support while the work was going on, we would make four entries into Ante, with all the horses and men that were able to go ; and that every third day a horse should be killed, which should be divided among those that had labored on the work of the boats, and those that were sick. The forays were made with the people and horses that were of any use, and in them were brought back as many as four bushels of maize; but these were not got without quarrels and conflicts with the Indians. We caused to be collected many pal- mettos for the benefit of the woof or covering-, twisting and preparing it for use in the place of tow for the boats. We commenced to build on the 4th, with the one only carpenter in the company ; and we proceeded with so great diligence, that, on the twentieth day of Sep- 76 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. tember, five boats were finished, of twenty-two cubits in length each, calked with the fibre of the palmetto. We pitched them with a certain resin, which was made from pine-trees, by a Greek named Don Theodoro ; and from the same husk of the palmettos, and from the tails and manes of the horses, we made ropes and rigging ; and from our shirts, sails ; and from the savins ^ that grew there, we made the oars that appeared to us to be requisite. And such was the country in which our sins had cast us, that with very great trouble we could find stone for ballast and anchors to the boats, since in all of it we had not seen one. We flayed the horses, and took ofi the skins of their legs entire, and tanned them, to make bottles in which we might carry water. During this time, some went gathering shell-fish in the coves and creeks of the sea, at which the Indians twice attacked them, and killed ten of our men in sight of the camp, without our being able to afford them succor. We found them traversed from side to side by the arrows ; and, although some had on good armor, it did not afford sufficient protection against the nice and powerful archery, of which I have spoken before. . . , Before we embarked, there died, without enumer- ating those destroyed by the Indians, more than forty men, of disease and hunger. By the 22d of the month of September, the horses had been consumed, one only remaining ; and on that day we embarked in the following order, — in the boat of the governor there went forty-nine men ; in another, which he gave to the controller and the commissary, went others as many. 1 Cedars. THE STRANGE VOYAGE. 77 The third he gave to Capt. Alonzo del Castillo and Andres Dorantes, with forty-eight men ; and another he gave to two captains, Tellez and Benalosa, with forty-seven men. The last he gave to the assessor and me, with forty-nine men. After the provision and clothes had been taken in, there remained not over a span of the gunwales ' above the water ; and, more than this, we went so crowded, we could not move. So much can necessity do, which drove us to hazard our lives in this manner, running into a sea so turbulent, with not a single one that went there having a knowledge of navigation. The haven we left has for its name La Baya de Cavallos.^ We passed waist-deep in water through sounds for seven days, without seeing any point of the coast ; and at the close of them wfe came to an island near the land. My boat went first ; and from her we saw Indians coming in five canoes, which they aban- doned, and left in our hands. The other boats, seeing us go towards them, passed ahead, and stopped at some liouses on the island, where we found many mullet and mullet-roes dried, — a great relief to the distress in which we were. After taking these, we went on, and, two leagues thence, we discovered a strait the island makes with the land, which we named San Miguel, from having passed through it on his day.^ Having come out, we went to the coast, where, with 1 The side of the vessel. 2 The Bay of Horses, probably Choctawliatchee Bay, commiinicatins with Pensacola Bay by Santa Rosa Inlet; but some suppose it to have 'jeen Appalachicola Bay. ^ St. Michael's Day, Sept. 29. 78 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA, the five canoes I had taken from the Indians, we some- what improved the boats, making waist-boards, and securing them so that the sides rose two palms above the waters. With this we turned to travel along the coast in the direction of the River Palmas, every day increasing our hunger and thirst; for the provisions were very scant, and getting near their end, and the water was gone, because the bottles we made from the legs of the horses soon rotted, and were useless. Some times we entered coves and creeks that lay far in, and found them all shallow and dangerous. Thus we trav- elled thirty days among them, where we sometimes found Indian fishermen, a poor and miserable people. At the end of this time, while the want of water was extreme, going near the coast at night, we heard the approach of a canoe ; and as we saw it we waited its arrival : but it would not meet us, and, although we called, it would not return, nor wait for us. As the night was dark, we did not follow it, but kept on our way. When the sun rose, we saw a small island, and went to it, to see if we could find water : but our labor was vain ; for it had none. Being there at anchor, a heavy storm overtook us, that detained us six days, without our daring to go to sea : and, as it was now five days in which we had not drunk, our thirst was so excessive, that it put us to the extremity of drinking salt water ; and some of the men so greatly crazed them- selves by it, that directly we had four of them to die. I state this thus briefly, because I do not believe there is any necessity for particularly relating the sufferings and toils in which we found ourselves ; for considering the place we were in, and the little hope we had of relief. THE STRANOli VOYAGE. 79 every one may conceive much of what would have passed there. Although the storm had not ceased, and we found that our thirst increased, and the water killed us, we resolved to conimend ourselves to God our Lord, and venture the peril of the sea, [rather] than await the certainty of death which thirst imposed. Accordingly, we went out by the way in which we had seen the canoe the night we came there. On this day, we ourselves were many times overwhelmed by the waves, and in such jeopardy, that there was not one who did not suppose his death certain. I return thanks to our Lord, that, in the great- est dangers, he should have shown us his favor ; for at sunset we doubled a point made by the sand, and found great calm and shelter. So we sailed that day until the middle of the after- noon, when my boat, which was first, discovered a point made by the land, and, against a cape opposite, a broad river passed. I anchored by a little island which forms the point, to await the arrival of the other boats. The governor did not choose to come up, but entered a bay near by, in which were a great many islets. We came together there, and took fresh water from the sea; for the stream entered it impetuously.' To parch some of the corn we had brought with us, since we had eaten it raw for two days past, we went on the island ; but, as we found no wood, we agreed to go to the river behind the point, which was one league off. We were unable to get there by any efforts, so violent was the current on the way, which drove us from the land while we con- tended, and strove to gain it. The north wind, which 1 It is thought tliat this river may have been tlie Mississippi. So THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. came from the shore, began to blow so strongly, that it drove us to sea without our being able to overcome it. Half a league out we sounded, and found, that, with thirty fathoms, we could not get the bottom ; but we could not be satisfied that the river was not the cause of cur failure to reach it. Toiimg in this manner to fetch the land, we navi- gated two days, and at the end of the time, a. little while before the sun rose, we saw many smokes along the shore. While attempting to reach them, we found ourselves in three fathoms of water; and, it being dark, we dared not come to land ; for, as we had seen so many smokes, we thought some danger might surprise us, and the obscurity leave us at a loss what to do. So we determined to wait until the morning. \\'hen it came, the boats had all lost sight of each other. I found myself in thirty fathoms ; and, keeping my course until the hour of vespers, I observed two boats, and, as I drew near to them, I found that the first I approached was that of the governor, who asked me what I thought we should do. I told him we ought to join that boat which went in the advance, and by no means to leave her ; and, the three being together, that we should keep on our way to where God should be pleased to direct us. He answered me, saying it could not be done, because the boat was far to sea, and he wished to reach the shore ; that, if I wished to follow him, I should order the persons of my boat to take the oars, and work, as it was only by strength of arm that the land could be gained. He was advised to this course by a captain he had U'ith him named Pantoja, who told him, that, if he did THE STRANGE VOYAGE. 8 1 not fetch the hind that day, in six days more they would not reach it ; and in that time they must inevita- bly famish. I, seeing his will, took my oar; and the same did all who were in my boat, to obey it. We rowed until near sunset ; but, as the governor carried in his boat the healthiest men there were among the whole, we could not by any means hold with or follow her. Seeing this, I asked him to give me a rope from his boat, that I might be enabled to keep up with him ; but he answered me that he would do no little,' if they, as they were, should be able to reach the land that night. I said to him, that, since he saw the little strength we had to follow him and do what he had commanded, he should tell me what he would that I should do. He answered me, that it was no longer a time in which one should command another, but that each should do what he thought best to save his own life ; that he so intended to act ; and, saying this, he departed with his boat. As I could not follow him, I steered to the other boat at sea, which waited for me ; and, having come up with her, I found her to be the .one commanded by the captains Beiialosa and Telle/'. Thus we continued in company, eating a daily ration of half a handful of raw maize, until the end of four days, when we lost sight of each other in a storm ; and such w^as the weather, that it was only by divine favor that we did not all go down. Because of the winter and its inclemency, the many days we had suffered hunger, and the heavy beating of the waves, the people began the next day to despair in such a manner, that, when the sun went down, all who were in my boat were 1 i.e., that it would be as much as lie could do. 82 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. fallen one on another, so near to death, that there were few among them in a state of sensibility. Among them all at this time there were not five men on their feet ; and, when the night came, there were left only the master and myself who could work the boat. At the second hour of the night, he said to me that I must take charge of her, for that he was in such condition he believed that night he should die. So I took the paddle ; and after midnight I went to see if the master was alive, and he said to me that he was better, and that he would take the charge until day. I declare that in that hour I would have more willingly died than seen so many people before me in such condition. After the master took the direction of the boat, I lay down a little while, but without repose ; for nothing at that time was farther from me than sleep. Near the dawn of day, it seemed to me that I heard the tumbling of tiie sea ; for, as the coast was low, it roared loudly. Surprised at this, I called to the mas- ter, who answered me that he believed we were near the land. We sounded, and found ouselves in seven fathoms. He thought we should keep the sea until sunrise ; and accordingly I took an oar, and pulled on the side of the land until we were a league distant ; and we then gave her stern to the sea. Near the shore, a wave took us that knocked the boat out of the water to the distance of the throw of a crowbar ; and by the violence of the blow nearly all of the people who were in her like dead were roused to consciousness. Finding themselves near the shore, they began to move on hands and feet, and crawled to land in some ravines. There we made fire, parching some of the maize we CABEZA DE VACA SAVED BY INDIANS. 83 brought with us, and where we found rain-water. From the warmth of the fire the people recovered their facul- ties, and began somewhat to exert themselves.' The day on which we arrived here 'vas the 6th of No- vember. II. — Caheza de Vaca saved ry Indians. After the people had eaten, I ordered Lope de Oviedo, who had more strength, and was stouter, than any of the rest, to go to some trees that were near, and, having climbed into one of them, to survey the country in which we were, and endeavor to get some knowledge of it. He did as I bade him, and made out that we were on an island. He saw that the ground was pawed up in the manner that the land is wont to be where cattle range ; and hence it appeared to him that this should be the country of Christians, and thus he re- ported to us. I ordered him to return to examine much more particularly, and see if there were any roads in it that were worn, and without going far, because of the danger there might be. He went, and, coming to a path, he took it for the distance of half a league, and found some huts without any tenants, for the Indians 1 This strange incident of the revival of the men who seemed to have died may possibly have suggested to the poet Coleridge that passage in his " Ancient Mariner " where the dead sailors rise up again : — "They groaned, they stirred, they all uprose, Nor spake, nor moved their eyes : It had been strange, even in a dream, To see those dead men rise." 84 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. had gone into the woods. He took from them an earthen pot, a little dog, some few mullets, and thus returned. It appearing to us that he was long absent, we sent two others, that they should look and see what might have befallen him. They met him near by, and saw that three Indians with bows and arrows followed, and were calling to him ; and he, in the same way, was beckoning them on. Thus they arrived where we were ; the Indians remaining a little way back, seated on the same bank. Half an hour after, they were supported by fifty other Indian bowmen, whom, whether large or not, our fears made giants. They stopped near us with the three first. It were idle to think that there were any among us who could make defence ; for it would have been difficult to find six that could raise themselves from the ground. The assessor and I went and called them, and they came to us. We endeavored the best we could to recommend ourselves to their favor, and secure their good-will. We gave them beads and hawk-bells ; and each one of them gave me an arrow, which is a pledge of friendship. They told us by signs that they would return in the morning, and bring us something to eat, as at that time they had nothing. The next day at sunrise, the time the Indians had appointed, they came as they had promised, and brought us a large quantity of fish, and certain roots that are eaten by them, of the size of walnuts, some a little larger, others a little smaller, the greater part of them got from under the water, and with much labor. In the evening they returned, and brought us more fish, and some of the roots. They sent their women and CABEZA DE VACA SAVED BY INDIANS. 85 children to look at us, who returned rich with the hawk- bells and beads that we gave them; and they came after- ward on other days in the same way. As we found that we had been provisioned with fish, roots, water, and other things for which we asked, we determined to embark again, and pursue our course. We dug out our boat from the sand in which it was buried ; and it be- came necessary that we should all strip ourselves, and go through great exertion to launch her, for we were in such state, that things very much lighter sufficed to make us much labor. Thus embarked, at the distance of two cross-bow shots in the sea we shipped a wave that wet us all. As we were naked, and the cold was very great, the oars loosened in our hands ; and the next blow the sea struck us capsized the boat. The assessor and two others held fast to her for preservation ; but it happened to be for far otherwise, as the boat carried them over, and they drowned under her. As the surf near the shore was very high, a single roll of the sea threw the remainder into the waves, and half drowned us on the shore of the island, without our losing any more than the boat had taken under. Those of us who survived escaped naked as we were born, losing all that we had ; and, although the whole was of little value, at that time it was worth much. As it was then in the month of November, the cold severe, and our bodies so emaciated that the bones might have been counted with little difficulty, we had become perfect figures of death. For myself, I can say, that, from the month of May past, I had not eaten other thing than maize, and sometimes I found myself obliged 86 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. to eat it unparched ; for, although the horses were slaughtered while the boats were being built, I never could eat of them, and I did not eat fish ten times. I state this to avoid giving excuses, and that every one may judge in what condition we were. After all these misfortunes, there came a north wind upon us, from which we were nearer to death than life. Thanks be to our Lord, that, looking among the brands that we had used there, we found sparks from which we made great fires. And thus we were asking mercy of him, and pardon for our transgressions, shedding many tears, and each regretting, not his own fate alone, but that of his comrades about him. At sunset, the Indians, thinking that we had not gone, came to seek us, and bring us food ; but when they saw us thus, in a plight so different from what it was formerly, and so extraordinary, they were alarmed, and turned back. I went toward them, and called to them ; and they returned much frightened. I gave them to understand by signs how that our boat had sunk, and three of our number been drowned. There, before them, they saw two of the departed ; and those that remained were near joining them. The Indians, at sight of the disaster that had befallen us, and our state of suffering and melancholy destitution, sat down amongst us; and from tlie sorrow and pity they fell for us, they all began to lament, and so earnestly, that they might have been heard at a distance ; and they con- tinued so doing more than half an hour. It was strange to see these men, so wild and untaught, howling like brutes over our misfortunes. It caused in me, as in others, an increase of feeling, and a livelier sense of our calamity. CABEZA DE VACA SAVED RY INDIANS. 87 Tlieir cries having ceased, I talked with the Chris- tians, and said, that, if it appeared well to them, I would beg these Indians to take us to their houses. Some who had been in New Spain said that we ought not to think of it; for, if we should do so, they w-ould sacrifice us to their idols. But seeing no better course, and that any other led to nearer and more certain death, I disregarded what was said, and besought the Indians to take us to their dwellings. They signified that it would give them great delight, and that we should tarry a little, that we might do what we asked. Pres- ently, thirty of them loaded themselves with wood, and started for their houses, which were far off, and we remained with the others until near night, when, hold- ing us up, they carried us with all haste. Because of the extreme coldness of the weather, lest any one should die or fail by the way, they caused four or five large fires to be placed at intervals ; and at each one of them they warmed us, and, when they saw that we had re- gained some strength and warmth, they took us to the next so swiftly that they hardly permitted us to put our feet to the ground. In this manner, we went as far as their habitations, where we found that they had made a house for us w'ith many fires in it. An hour after our arrival, they began to dance, and hold great rejoicing, which lasted all night, although for us there was no joy, appetite, or sleep, awaiting the time they should make us victims. In the morning, they again gave us fish and roots, and showed us such hospitality, that we were re-assured, and lost somewhat the fea. of the sacrifice.^ 1 i.e., of being offered as a sacrifice. THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. III. — Cabeza DE Vaca's Captivity. [The eighty men taken by the Indians were soon reduced by death to fifteen. These were made slaves, and were severely treated.] I WAS obliged to remain with the people of the island more than a year ; and because of the hard work they put upon me, and their harsh treatment, I determined to flee from them, and go to those of Charruco, who inhabit the forests and country of the main ; for the life I led was insupportable. Beside much other labor, I had to get out roots from below the water, and from among the cane where it grew in the ground. From this employment I had my fingers so worn, that, did a straw but touch them, it would draw blood. Many of the canes were broken, so that they often tore my flesh ; and I had to go in the midst of them with only the clothing on me I have mentioned. Accordingly, I put myself to work to get over to the other Indians ; and afterward, while I was with them, affairs changed for me somewhat more favorably. I set myself to trafficking, and strove to turn my employment to profit in the ways I could best contrive ; and by this means I got from the Indians food and good treatment. They would beg me to go from one part to another for things of which they have need ; for, in consequence of continual hostilities, they cannot travel the countr}', nor make many exchanges. \\'ith my merchandise and trade I went into the interior as far as I pleased ; and I travelled along the coast forty or fifty leagues. The chief of my wares was pieces of sea-snails and their CABEZA DE VACA'S CAPTIVITY. 89 cones, conches, that are used for cutting,' and a fruit Hke a bean, of the highest value among them, which they use as a medicine, and employ in their dances and festivities. There are sea-beads also, and other articles. Such were what I carried into the interior ; and, in bar- ter for them, I brought back skins, ochre, with which they rub and color their faces, and flint for arrow-points, cement and hard canes, of which to make arrows, and tassels that are made of the hair of deer, ornamented, and dyed red. This occupation suited me well ; for the travel gave me liberty to go where I wished. I was not obliged to work, and was not a slave. Wherever I went, I received fair treatment; and the Indians gave me to eat for the sake of my commodities. My leading object, while journeying in this business, was to find out the way by which I should have to go forward ; and I became well known to the inhabitants. They were pleased when they saw me, and I had brought for them what they wanted ; and those that did not know me sought and desired my acquaintance for my reputation. The hardships that I underwent in this it were long to tell, as well of peril and privation, as of storms and cold. Many of them found me in the wilderness and alone ; but I came forth from them all, by the great mercy of God our Lord. Because of them, I ceased to pursue the business in winter ; for it is a season in which the natives themselves retire to their villages and huts, sluggish, and incapable of exertion, I was in this country nearly six years,^ alone among 1 The sea-snails and conches (or conchs) were shells of various species. 2 From 1528 to 1533. go THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. the Indians, and naked like them. The reason why I remained so long was, that I might take with me from the island the Christian Lope de Oviedo. De Alaniz, his companion, who had been left with him by Alonzo del Castillo, Andres Dorantes, and the rest, died soon after their departure ; and, to get the survivor out from there, I went over to the island every year, and entreated him that we should go, in the way we could best con- trive, in quest of Christians. He put me off every year, saying that in the next coming we would go. At last I got him off, crossing him over the bay, and over four rivers there are in the coast, as he could not swim. In this way we went on with some Indians, until coming to a bay a league in width, and everywhere deep. From its appearance, we supposed it to be that which they call Espiritu Santo. We met some Indians on the other side of it, who came to visit ours ; and they told us that beyond them there were three men like us, and gave their names. And we asked them for the others ; and they told us that they were all dead of cold and hunger; that the Indians farther on, of whom they were, had for their diversion killed Diego Dorantes, Valdevicso, and Diego de Huelva, because they left one house for another ; and that other Indians, their neighbors, with whom Captain Dorantes now was, had, in consequence of a dream, killed Esquivel and Mendez. We asked them how the living were situated ; and they answered us that they were very ill used ; for that the boys and some of the Indian men were very idle, and of cruelty gave them severe kicks, cuffs, and blows with sticks, and that such was the life thev led amonir lliem. THE INDIANS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. 9 1 We desired to be informed of the country ahead, and of the subsistence in it ; and they said there was nothing in it to eat, and [it] was thin of people, who suffered of cold, having no skins or other thing to cover them. They told us, also, if we wished to see those three Christians, two days from that time the Indians who had them would come to eat walnuts a league from there, on the margin of that river ; and, that we might know what they had told us of the ill usage to be true, they slapped my companion, and beat him with a stick, and I was not left without my portion. They frequently threw fragments of mud at us ; and every day they put their arrows to our hearts, saying that they were inclined to kill us in the way they had destroyed our friends. Lope Oviedo, my comrade, in fear, said that he wished to go back with the women who had crossed the bay with us, the men having remained some distance behind. I contended strongly with him against his returning, and I urged many objections ; but in no way could I keep him. So he went back, and I remained alone with those savages. IV. — The Indians of the Gulf of Mexico. These are the most watchful in danger of any people I have ever seen. If they fear an enemy, they are awake the night long, with each a bow by his side, and a dozen arrows. He that sleeps tries his bow ; and, if it is not strung, he gives the turn necessary to the cord. They often come out from their houses, bending to the ground in such manner, that they cannot be seen, and 92 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. look and watch on all sides to catch every object. If they perceive any thing about, they are all in the bushes with their bows and arrows, and there they remain until day, running from place to place where it is useful to be, or where they think their enemies are. When the light has come, they unbend their bows until they go out to hunt. The strings are of the sinews of deer. The method they have of fighting is lying low to the earth ; and, whilst they shoot, they move about, speak- ing, and leaping from one point to another, screening themselves from the shafts of their enemies. So effec- tual is this manoeuvring, that they can receive very little injury from cross-bow or arquebuse ;^ but they rather scoff at them : for these arms are of little value em- ployed in open field, where the Indians go loosely. They are proper for defiles, and in water : everywhere else the horses will be found the most effective, and are what the natives universally fear. Whosoever would fight against them must be cautious to show no weakness or desire for any thing that is theirs ; and, whilst war exists, they must be treated with the utmost severity ; for, if they discover any timidity or covetous- ness, they are a race that well discern the opportunities for vengeance, and gather strength from the fear of their adversaries. When they use arrows in battle, and exhaust their store, each returns by his own way with- out the one party following the other, although the one be many and the other few; for such is their custom. Oftentimes their bodies are traversed from side to side by arrows; and they do not die of the wounds, but 1 A small matchlock gim. CABEZA DE VACA S ESCAPE. 93 soon become well, unless the entrails or the heart be struck. I believe they see and hear better, and have keener senses, than any people there are in the world. They are great in the endurance of hunger, thirst, and cold, as if they were made for these more than others by habit and nature. Thus much I have wished to say beyond the gratification of that desire which men have to learn the customs and manners of each other, that those who hereafter at some time find themselves amongst these people may be intelligent in their usages and artifice, the value of which they will not find incon- siderable in such event. V. — Cabeza de Vaca's Escape. [After getting away from his first captors, lie came among Indians who tliought that he and his comrades must liave come from heaven, because of their superior knowledge. He thus describes them.] We left these, and travelled through so many sorts of people, of such diverse languages, that the memory fails to recall them. They ever plundered each other ; and those that lost, like those that gained, were fully content. We drew so many followers after us, that we had not use for their services. While on our way through these vales, each of the Indians carried a club three palms in length, and kept himself on the alert. On raising a hare, which are abundant, they surround it directly; and numerous clubs are thrown at it, and with a precision astonishing to see. In this way they cause it to run from one to another ; so that, accord- 94 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. ing to my thinking, it is the most pleasing sport that can be conceived of, as oftentimes the animal runs into the hand. So many of them did they give us, that at night, when we stopped, each one of us had eight or ten back-loads. Those who had bows were not with us, but dispersed about the ridge in quest of deer ; and, when they came at night, they brought five or six for each of us, besides birds, the quail, and other game. Indeed, all that they found or killed they put before us, without themselves daring to take any thing until we had blessed it, though they should be dying of hunger ; for they had so established the custom since marching with us. The women carried many mats, of which the men made us houses, each of us having a separate one with all his attendants. After these were put up, we ordered the deer and hares to be roasted, with the rest that had been taken. This was soon done by means of certain ovens made for the purpose. We took a little of each ; and the remainder we gave to the principal personages that came with us, directing them to divide them among the rest. Every one brought his portion to us, that we should give it our benediction ; for not until then dared they to eat of it. Frequently we were accompanied by Uiree or four thousand persons ; and as we had to breathe upon and sanctify the food and drink for each, and give them permission to do the many things they would come to ask, it may be seen how great to us Were the trouble and annoyance. The women first brought us the pears, spiders, worms, and whatever else they could gather ; for, even if they were famish- ing, they would eat nothing unless we gave it to them. CABEZA DE VACa's ESCAPE. 95 In company with these we crossed a great river com- ing from the north ; and, passing over some plains thirty leagues in extent, we found many persons who came from a great distance to receive us ; and they met us on the road over which we had to travel, and received us in the manner of those we had left. . . . We told them to conduct us toward the north ; and they answered us as they had done before, saying, that, in that direction, there were no people, except afar off; that there was nothing to eat, nor could water be found, Nowithstanding all this, we persisted, and said that in that course we desired to go ; and they still tried to excuse themselves in the best manner possible. At this we became offended : and one night I went out to sleep in the woods, apart from them ; but they directly went to where I was, and remained there all night without sleeping, and in great fear, talking to me, and telling me how terrified they were, beseeching us to be no longer angry, and that though they knew they should die on the way, they would nevertheless lead us in the direction we desired to go. Whilst we still feigned to be displeased, that their fright might not leave them, there happened a remark- able circumstance, which was, that on this same day many of them became ill, and the next day eight men (lied. Abroad in the country wheresoever this became known, there was such dread, that it seemed as if the inhabitants at sight of us would die of fear. They besought us that we would not remain angered, nor require that many of them should die. They believed that we caused their death by only willing it ; when in truth it gave us so much pain that it could not be 96 THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA. greater ; for, beyond the loss of them that died, we feared they might all die, or abandon us out of fear, and all other people thenceforward should do the same, seeing what had come to these. We prayed to God our Lord, that he would relieve them ; and thenceforth all those that were sick began to get better. ..." From that place onward there was another usage, that those who knew of our approach did not come out to receive us on the roads, as the others had done, but we found them in their houses, and others they had made for our reception. They were all seated with their faces turned to the wall, their heads down, and the hair brought before their eyes, and their property placed in a heap in the middle of their houses. From this place forward they began to give us many blankets of skin, and they had nothing that they did not give to us. They have the finest persons of any that we saw, and of the greatest activity and strength, and [were those] who best understood us, and intelligently answered our inquiries. We called them los de las vacas, the cow nation, because most of the cattle that are killed are destroyed in their neighborhood ; and along up that river over fifty leagues they kill great numbers. [Cabeza de Vaca crossed the Mississippi, or passed its mouth, many years before De Soto reached it. Having finally arrived at the city of Mexico, he was sent home to Europe, and reached Lisbon Aug. 15, 1537. His later adventures will be found in Southey's Hist, of Brazil, chap, v.] BOOK V. THE FRENCH IN CANADA. (A.D. 1534-1^36-) The extracts from Cartier's narratives are taken from an old transla- tion, to be found in Hakluyt's "Voyages " (edition of iSio), vol. 3, pp. 250, 257, 259, 266-269, 271-274. A most interesting description of Cartier's adventures, including those here described, may be found in Parkman's "Pioneers of France in the New World," p. 81. Another account of the same events, illustrated by the maps of the period, will also be found in Kohl's valuable " History of the Discovery of the East Coast of North America" (Maine Historical Society, 2d series, vol. i ), p. 320. THE FRENCH IN CANADA. I. — Cartier's Visit to Bay of Chaleur. [Jacques Cartier was born in 1494, at St. Malo, a principal port of Brittan}', France. He was bred to the sea ; and, liaving made fisliing- voyages to the Grand Banks of Labrador, he desired to make an explora- tion farther west. For this purpose an expedition was fitted out by King Francis I. of France, as is described below.] THE first relation ' of Jacques Cartier of St. Malo, of the new land called New France," newly dis- covered in the year of our Lord 1534. . . . After that, Sir Charles of Mouy, Knight, Lord of Meilleraie, and Vice-Admiral of France, had caused the captains, masters, and mariners of the ships to be sworn to behave themselves faithfully in the service of the most Christian King of France. Under the charge of the said Cartier, we departed from the Port of St. 1 Description. 2 In the map of Ortelius, published in 1572, the name of New France is applied to the whole of both North and South America. " The appli- cation of this name dates back to a period immediately after the voyage of V'errazzano ; and the Dutch voyagers are especially free in their use of it, out of spite to the Spaniards.'" — Parkman. 99 lOO THE FRENCH IN CANADA. Malo with two ships of threescore tons' apiece burden, and sixty-one well-appointed men in each one. . . . [Cartier sailed first to Newfoundland, and then made further disco /- fries.] Upon Thursday, being the 8th of the month,' be- cause the wind was not good to go out with our ships, we set our boats in a readiness to go and discover the said bay; and that day we went twenty-five leagues within it. The next day, the wind and weather being fair, we sailed until noon, in which time we had notice of a great part of said bay, and how that over the low lands, there were other lands with high mountains : but, seeing that there was no JACQUES CARTIER. ^11 1 a_ passage at all, we began to turn back again, taking our way along the coast; and, sailing, we saw certain wild men that stood upon the shore of a lake, that is among the low grounds, who were making fires and smoke. We went thither, and found that there was a channel of the sea that did enter into the lake ; and, setting our boats at one of the banks of the channel, the wild men with one of their boats came unto us, and brought up pieces of seals ready sodden," putting them upon pieces of wood ; then retiring themselves, they would make signs unto 1 July. 2 Boiled. CARTIERS VISIT TO BAY OF CHALEUR. lOl US that they did give tliem us. We sent two men unto them with hatchets, knives, beads, and other such like ware, whereat they were very glad ; and by and by in clusters they came to the shore where we were, with their boats, bringing with them skins and other such things as they had, to have of our wares. They were more than three hundred men, women, and children. Some of the women which came not over we might see stand up to the knees in water, sing- ing and dancing. The other that had passed the river where we were came very friendly to us, rubbing our arms with their own hands ; then would they lift them up towards heaven, showing many signs of gladness. And in such wise were we assured one of another, that we very familiarly began to traffic for whatsoever they had, till they had nothing but their naked bodies, for they gave us all whatsoever they had ; and that was but of small value. We perceived that this people might very easily be converted to our religion. They go from place to place. They live only with fishing. They have an ordinary^ time to fish for their provision. The country is hotter than the country of Spain, and the fairest that can possibly be found, altogether smooth and level. There is no place, be it never so little, but it hath some trees, yea, albeit it be sandy ; or else is full of wild corn, that hath an ear like unto rye. The corn is like oats, and small peas as thick as if they had been sown and ploughed, white and red goose- berries, strawberries, blackberries, white and red roses, with many other flowers of very sweet and pleasant smell. There be also many goodly meadows full of ^ KcL'ular. THE FRENCH IN CANADA. grass, and lakes wherein great plenty of salmons, be. They call a hatchet, in their tongue, cochi ; and a knife bacon : we named it the bay of heat.^ II. — Cartier sets up a Cross. Upon the 24th of the month,- we caused a fair high cross to be made of the height of thirty feet, which was made in the presence of many of them, upon the point of the entrance of the said haven, ^ in the midst whereof we hanged up a shield with three fleur-de- lis^ in it; and in the top was carved in the wood with antique letters this posy,^ Vive le Roi de France. Then before them all we set it upon the said point. They with great heed ® beheld both the making and setting of it up. So soon as it was up, we all together kneeled down before them, with our hands toward heaven, yielding God thanks ; and we made signs unto them, showing them the heavens, and that all our salvation dependeth only on Him which in them dwell- eth : whereat they showed a great admiration, looking first one at another, and then upon the cross. And, after we were returned to our ships, their captain, clad with an old bear's-skin, with three of his sons and a brother of his with him, came unto us in one of their boats ; but they came not so near us as they were wont to do. There he made a long oration unto us, showing us the cross we had set up, and making a cross with his two fingers. Then did he show us all the country 1 ChalcKr, signifyins; heat in French. - July, 1534. '^ Gaspe Bay. ■• The arms of France. 5 Motto. " Attention. CARTIER SETS UP A CROSS. 103 about us, as if he would say that all was his, and that we should not set up any cross without his leave. His talk being ended, we showed him an axe, feign- ing that we would give it him for his skin, to which he listened, for by little and little he came near our ships. One of our fellows that was in our boat took hold on theirs, and suddenly leaped into it, with two or three more, who enforced them to enter into our ships, whereat they were greatly astonished. But our captain (lid straightway assure them that they should have no iiarm, nor any injury offered them at all, and enter- tained them very friendly, making them eat and drink. Then did we show them with signs, that the cross was only set up to be as a light and leader which ways to enter into the port,^ and that we would shortly come again, and bring good store of iron-wares and other things ; but that we would take two of his children with us, and afterward bring them to the said port again. And so we clothed two of them in shirts and colored coats, with red caps, and put about every one's neck a copper chain, whereat they were greatly con- tented. Then gave they their old clothes to the fellows that went back again ; and we gave to each one of those three that went back, a hatchet and some knives, which made them very glad. After these were gone, and had told the news unto their fellows, in the afternoon there came to our ships six boats of them, with five or six men in every one, to take their farewells of those two we had detained to take with us, and brought them 1 The object of the cross was to take possession of the country for the King of France; but Cartier did not hesitate to deceive the natives by saying that it was only for a beacon. I04 THE FRENCH IN CANADA. some fish, uttering many words which we did not under- stand, making signs that they would not remove the cross we had set up. III. — Cartier ascends the St. Lawrence as far AS Quebec. [This took place on Cartier's second voyage. He sailed from St. Malo, May 19, 1535, and reached the mouth of the St. Lawrence, which he ascended, hoping to find a passage to the west.] Our captain then caused our boats to be set in order, that with the next tide he might go up higher into the river to find some safe harbor for our ships ; and we passed up the river, against the stream, about ten leagues, coasting the said island, at the end where- of we found a goodly and pleasant sound, where is a little river and haven, where, by reason of the flood, there is about three fathoms water. This place seemed very fit and commodious to harbor our ships therein ; and so we did very safely. We named it the Holy Cross;' for on that day we came thither. Near unto it there is a village, whereof Donnacona is lord ; and there he keepeth his abode : it is called Stadacona,^ as goodly a plot of ground as possibly may be seen, and therewithal very fruitful, full of goodly trees even as in PVance, as oaks, elms, ashes, walnut trees, maple-trees, citrons, vines, and white-thorns, that bring forth fruit as big as any damsons, and many other sorts of trees, 1 The St. Croix River, now called St. Charles. The first name was given because Cartier reached it on the festival of the Holy Cross. ^ Now Quebec. CARTIER ASCENDS THK ST. LAWRENCE. 105 under which groweth as fair tall hemp as any in France, without any seed, or any man's work or labor at all. Having- considered the place, and finding it fit for our purpose, our captain withdrew himself on purpose to return to our ships. But behold ! as we were coming out of the river, we met coming against us one of the lords of said village of Stadacona, accompanied with many others, as men, women, and children, who, after the fashion of their country, in sign of mirth and joy, began to make a long oration, the women still singing and dancing, up to the knees in water. Our captain, knowing their good-will and kindness toward us, caused the boat wherein they were to come unto him, and gave them certain trifles, as knives, and beads of glass, whereat they were marvellous glad ; for being gone about three leagues from them, for the pleasure they conceived of our coming, we might hear them sing, and see them dance, for all they were so far. . . . The next day, we departed with our ships, to bring them to the place of the Holy Cross; and on the 14th of that month ^ we came thither; and the Lord Don- nacona, Taignoagny, and Domagaia,- with twenty-five boats full of those people, came to meet us, coming from the place whence we were come, and going toward Stadacona, where their abiding is. And all came to our ships, showing sundry and divers gestures of glad- ness and mirth, except those two that we had brought ; to wit, Taignoagny and Domagaia,- who seemed to have altered and changed their mind and purpose ; 1 September. 2 These were the two young Indians whom Cartier liad carried off with him the year before. Io6 THE FRENCH IN CANADA. for by no means they would come unto our ships, albeit sundry times they were earnestly desired to do it, whereupon we began to distrust somewhat. Our captain asked them, if, according to promise, they would go with him to Hochelaga.' They answered yea, for so they had purposed ; and then each one withdrew him- self. The next day, being the 15th of the month, our captain went on shore, to cause certain poles and piles to be driven into the water, and set up, that the better and safelier we might harbor our vessels there. . . . The day following, we brought our two great ships within the river and harbor, where the waters, being at the highest, are three fathoms deep, and, at the lowest, but half a fathom. We left our pinnace^ without the road, to the end we might bring it to Hochelaga. So soon as we had safely placed our ships, behold ! we saw Donnacona, Taignoagny, and Domagaia, with more than five hundred persons, men, women, and children ; and the said lord, with ten or twelve of the chiefest of the country, came aboard of our ships, who were all courteously received, and friendly entertained both of our captain and of us all ; and div'ers gifts of small value were given them. Then did Taignoagny tell our captain that his lord did greatly sorrow that he would go to Hochelaga, and that he would not by any means permit that any of them should go with him, because the rivei" was of no importance. Our captain answered him, that, for all his saying, he would not leave off his going thither, if, by any means, it were possible ; for that he was com- manded by his king to go as far as possibly he could ; 1 This village was where Montreal now stands. - A small vessel. CARTIER ASCENDS THE ST. LAWRENCE. 107 and that if he — that is to say, Taignoagny — would go with him, as he had promised, he should be very well entertained : beside that, he should have such a gift given him as he should well content himself ; for he should do nothing else but go with him to Hochelaga, and come again. To whom Taignoagny answered, that he would not by any means go ; and thereupon they suddenly returned to their houses. The next day, being the 17th of September, Donnacona and his company returned even as at the first. . . . After that, our captain caused the said children to be put in our ships, and caused two swords and copper basins — the one wrought, the other plain — to be brought unto him ; and them he gave to Donnacona, who was therewith greatly contented, yielding most hearty thanks unto our captain for them. And pres- ently, upon that, he commanded all his people to sing and dance, and desired our captain to cause a piece of artillery to be shot off, because Taignoagny and Doma- gaia made great brags of it, and had told them marvel- lous things, and also, because they had never heard nor seen any before. To whom our captain answered that he was content. And by and by he commanded his men to shoot off twelve cannons charged with bullets into the wood that was hard by those people and ships, at whose noise they were greatly astonished and amazed ; for they thought that heaven had fallen upon them, and put themselves to flight, howling and crying and shriek- ing ; so that it seemed hell was broken loose. io8 THE FRENCH IN CANADA. IV. — How THE Indians tried to frighten Cartier. The next clay, being the i8th of September, these men still endeavored themselves to seek all means pos- sible to hinder and let our going to Hochelaga, and devised a pretty guile,' as hereafter shall be showed. INDIANS TRVINC; TO I-KIGHTEN CARTIER. They went and dressed three men like devils, wrapped in dogs' skins, white and black, their faces besmeared as black as any coals, with horns on their heads more than a yard long, and caused them secretly to be put in one of their boats, but came not near our ships, as ' An ingenious trick. INDIANS TRYING TO FRIGHTEN CARIIER. lOQ they were wont to do. For they lay hidden witliin the wood for the space of two hours, looking for the tide, to the end the boat wherein the devils were might ap- proach and come near us, which, when [the] time was, came, and all the rest issued out of the wood coming to us, but yet not so near as they were wont to do. Then began Taignoagny to salute our captain, who asked him if he would have the boat to come for him. He answered, not for that time, but after a while he would come unto our ships. Then presently came that boat rushing out, wherein the three counterfeit devils were, with such long horns on their heads ; and the middlemost came, making a long oration, and passed along our sliips without turning, or looking toward us, but, with the boat, went toward the land. Then did Donnacona with all his people pursue them, and lay hold on the boat and devils, who, so soon as the men were come to them, fell prostrate in the boat, even as if they had been dead. Then were they taken up, and carried into the wood, being but a stone's cast off. Then every one withdrew himself into the wood, not one staying behind with us, where being they began to make a long discourse, so loud, that we might hear them in our ships, which lasted about half an hour. And, being ended, we began to espy Taignoagny and Domagaia coming towards us, holding their hands up- ward, joined together, carrying their hats under their upper garment, showing a great admiration. And Taig- noagny, looking up to heaven, cried three times, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus ! " and Domagaia, doing as his fellow had done before, cried, "Jesus Maria, James Cartier." Our captain, hearing them, and seeing their gestures no THE FRENCH IN CANADA. and ceremonies, asked of them what they ailed, and what was happened or chanced anew. They answered, that there were very ill tidings befallen, saying in French, " Nemii est il bon ; " that is to say, it was not good. Our captain asked them again what it was. Then answered they, that their god Cudruaigny had spoken in Hochelaga ; and that he had sent those three men to show unto them that there was so much ice and snow in that country, that whosoever went thither should die; which words when we heard, we laughed and mocked them, saying, that their god Cudruaigny was but a fool and a noddy ; for he knew not what he did or said. Then bade we them show his messengers from us, that Christ would defend them from all cold, if they would believe in him. Then did they ask of our captain if he had spoken with Jesus. He an- swered, Xo ; but that his priests had, and that he had told them he should have fair weather : which words when they had heard, they thanked our captain, and departed toward the wood to tell those news unto their fellows, who suddenly came, all rushing out of the wood, seeming to be very glad for those words that our captain had spoken. And to show that thereby they had had and felt great joy, so soon as they were be- fore our ships, they all together gave out three great shrieks, and thereupon began to sing and dance as they were wont to do. But, for a resolution ' of the matter, Taignoagny and Domagaia told our captain that their Lord Donnacona would by no means that any of them should go with him to Hochelaga, unless he would leave him some hostage to stay with him. Our captain ' Explanation. HOW CARTIER RKACHKI) 11(JCHKLA(;A. Ill answered them, that, if they would not ;^o with him with a good will, they siKHild stay; and that for all them he would not leave off his journey thither. V. — How Cartikr ri:achi-:d H(jcnKLAf;A, now Montreal, at last. So soon as we w^re come near to Hochelaga, there came to meet us about a thousand persons, men women, and children, who afterward did as friendly and merrily entertain and receive us as any father would do his child which he had not of long time seen, — the men dancing on one side, the women on another, and likewise the children on another. After that [they] brought us great store of fish, and of their bread made of millet, casting them into our boats so thick, that you would have thought it to fall from heaven ; which when our captain saw, he, with many of his company, went on shore. So soon as ever we were a-land,' they came clustering about us, making very much of us, bringing their young children in their arms only to have our captain and his company to touch them, making signs and shows of great mirth and gladness, that lasted more than half an hour. Our captain, seeing their loving-kindness and enter- tainment of us, caused all the women orderly to be set in array, and gave them beads made of tin, and other such small trifles; and to some of the men he gave knives. Then he returned to the boats to supper ; and so passed that night, all which while all those people 1 On land, as we say, "ashore." 112 THE FRENCH IN CANADA. Stood on the shore, as near our boats as they might, making great fires, and dancing very merrily, still cry- ing, " Agtiiaze,'" which in thdr tongue signifieth mirth and safety. Our captain, the next day, very early in the morning, having very gorgeously attired himself, caused all his company to be set in order to go to see the town and habitation of those people, and a certain mountain that is somewhat near the city ; with whom went also five gentlemen and twenty mariners, leaving the rest to keep and look to our boats. We took with us three men of Hochelaga to bring us to the place. All along, as we went, we found the way as well beaten and fre- quented as can be ; the fairest and best country that possibly can be seen, full of as goodly great oaks as are in any wood in France, under which the ground was all covered over with fair acorns. After we had gone about four or five miles, we met by the way one of the chiefest lords of the city, accompanied with many more, who, so soon as he saw us, beckoned, and made signs upon us, that we must rest us in that place where they had made a great fire ; and so we did. After that we had rested ourselves there a while, the said lord began to make a long discourse, even as we have said above they are accustomed to do, in sign of mirth and friendship, showing our captain and all his company a joyful coun- tenance and good-will, who gave him two hatchets, a pair of knives, and a cross, which he made him to kiss, and then put it about his neck, for which he gave our captain hearty thanks. This done, we went along ; and, about a mile and a half farther, we began to find goodly and large fields, full of such corn as the country HOW CARTIER REACHKD HOCHICLAGA. I 13 yieldeth. It is even as the millet of PJrazil, as great and somewhat bigger than small peas, wherewith they live even as we do with ours. In the midst of those fields is the city of Hochelaga, placed near, and as it were joined, to a great mountain, that is tilled round about very fertile, on the top of which you may see very far. We named it Mount Royal.' The city of Hochelaga is round, compassed about with timber, with three course of rampires,- one within another, framed like a sharp spire, but laid across above. The middlemost of them is made and built as a direct line, but perpendicular. The rampires are framed and fashioned with pieces of timber, laid along on the ground, very well and cunningly joined together after their fashion. This enclosure is in height about two rods. It hath but one gate or entry thereat, which is shut with piles, stakes, and bars. Over it, and also in many places of the wall, there be places to run along, and lad- ders to get up, all full of stones for the defence of it. There are in the town about fifty houses about fifty paces long, and twelve or fifteen broad, built all of wood, covered over with the bark of the wood as broad as any boards, very finely and cunningly joined to- gether. Within the said houses there are many rooms, lodgings, and chambers. In the midst of every one there is a great court, in the middle whereof they make their fire. They live in common together : then do the husbands, wives, and children, each one retire them- 1 Montreal. 2 Ramparts or palisades : they were made of trunks of trees, the outer and inner row inclining toward each other till they met, and the third row standing upright between, to support them. 114 THE FRENCH IN CANADA. selves to their chambers. They have also on the top of their houses certain garrets, wherein they keep their corn to make their bread withal. Thev call it carra- cotiny, which they make as hereafter shall follow. They have certain pieces of wood, made hollow like those whereon we beat our hemp ; and with certain beetles of wood they beat their corn to powder ; then they make paste of it, and of the paste, cakes or wreaths. Then they lay them on a broad and hot stone, and then cover it with hot stones ; and so they bake their bread, instead of ovens. VI. — The Festivities at Hochelaga. So soon as we were come near the town, a great number of the inhabitants thereof came to present themselves before us, after their fashion, making very much of us. We were by our guides brought into the midst of the town. They have in the middlemost part of their houses a large square place, being from side to side a good stone's-cast, whither we were brought, and there with signs were commanded to stay. Then sud- denly all the women and maidens of the town gathered themselves together, part of which had their arms full of young children ; and as many as could came to rub our faces, our arms, and what part of the body soever they could touch, weeping for very joy that they saw us, showing us the best countenance that possibly they could, desiring us with their signs that it would please us to touch their children. That done, the men caused the women to withdraw themselves back ; then they every one sat down on the ground round about us, as if THE FESTIVITIES AT HOCHELAGA. I 15 they would have shown and rehearsed some comedy or other show ; then presently came the women again, every one bringing a large square mat, in manner of carpets ; and, spreading abroad on the ground in that place, t'^2y caused us to sit upon them. That done, the lord and king of the country was brought upon nine or ten men's shoulders, — whom in their tongue they call Agouhanna, — sitting upon a great stag's skin ; and they laid him down upon the foresaid mats, near to the captain, every one beckoning unto us that he was their lord and king. This Agouhanna was a man about fifty years old : he was no whit better apparelled than any of the rest, only except he had a certain thing made of the skins of hedgehogs, like a red wreath ; and that was instead of his crown. He was full of the palsy ; and his members shrunk together. After he had with certain signs saluted our captain and all his company, and by manifest tokens bid all welcome, he showed his legs and arms to our captain, and with signs desired him to touch them ; and so he did, rub- ing them with his own hands. Then did Agouhanna take the wreath or crown he had about his head, and gave it unto our captain ; that done, they brought before him divers diseased men, — some blind, some cripple, some lame and impotent, and some so old that the hair of their eyelids came down, and covered their cheeks, — and laid them all along before our captain, to the end they might of him be touched ; for it seemed unto them that God was descended and come down from heaven to heal them. Our captain, seeing the misery and devotion of this poor people, recited the Gospel of St. John, that is to Il6 THE FRENCH IN CANADA. say, " In the beginning was the Word," touching every one that were diseased, praying to God that it would please him to open the hearts of this poor people, and to make them know his holy word, and that they might receive baptism and Christendom. That done, he took a service-book in his hand, and with a loud voice read all the passion ' of Christ, word by word, that all the standers-by might hear him ; all which while this poor people kept silence, and were marvellously attentive ; looking up to heaven, and imitating us in gestures. Then he caused the men all orderly -to be set on one side, the women on another, and likewise the children on another : and to the chiefest of them he gave hatch- ets ; to the other, knives ; and to the women, beads, and such other small trifles. Then, where the children were, he cast rings, counters, and brooches made of tin, whereat they seemed to be very glad. That done, our captain commanded trumpets and other musical instruments to be sounded, which when they heard, they were very merry. Then we took our leave, and went to our boat. The women, seeing that, put themselves before, to stay us, and brought us out of their meats that they had made ready for us, as fish, pottage, beans, and such other things, thinking to make us eat and dine in that place. But, because the meats had no savor at all of salt, we liked them not, but thanked them, and with signs gave them to understand that we had no need to eat. When we were out of the town, divers of the men and women followed us, and brought us to the top of the foresaid mountain, which we named Mount Royal : it is about a 1 Crucifixion. THE FESTIVITIES AT HOCHELAGA. II7 league from the town. When as we were on the top of it, we might discern and phxinly see thirty leagues about. On the north side of it there are many hills to be seen, running west and east, and as many more on the south, amongst and between the which the country is as fair and as pleasant as possibly can be seen ; being level, smooth, and very plain, fit to be husbanded and tilled. And in the midst of these fields we saw the river, farther up, a great way, than where we had left our boats, where was the greatest and the swiftest fall of water that any- where hath been seen, and as great, wide, and large as our sight might discern, going south-west along three fair and round mountains that w'e saw, as we judged, about fifteen leagues from us. Those which brought us thither told and showed us, that, in the said river, there were three such falls of water more, as that was where we had left our boats ; but, because we could not understand their language, we could not know how far they were one from another. Moreover, they showed us with signs, that, the said three falls being past, a man might sail the space of three months more alongst that river ; and that along the hills that are on the north side there is a great river, which — even as the other — cometh from the west : we thought it to be the river that runneth through the country of Saguenay. [Cartier afterwards returned to the harbor of the Holy Cross, where he and his men passed tlie winter of 1535-36 with much suffering. They were the first Europeans to pass the winter in the northern part of North America. The French claim to the possession of this continent was founded on Cartier's discoveries. The expedition reached St. Malo, on its return, July 16, 1536.] BOOK VI. THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. (A.n. 1 538-1 542.) Tliese extracts are taken from "The Worthy and Famous Jlistorj' of the Travels, Discovery, and Conquest of Terra Florida, accomplished and effected by that worthy General and Captain, Don Ferdinando de Soto, and six hundred Spaniards his followers." (Reprinted by Hakluyt Soci ety, 1851.) Pages 9-16, 27-32, 89-92, 120-122, 125-127. This is a translation, made by Hakluyt in 1609, of a narrative by one of the com- panions of De Soto, first published in 1557. THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. I. — How De Soto set Sail. CAPTAIN SOTO was the son of a squire of Xerez of Badajos. He went into the Spanish Indies when Peter Arias of Avila was governor of the West Indies. And there he was without any thing else of his own, save his sword and target. And, for his good qualities and valor, Peter Arias made him captain of a troop of horsemen ; and, by his coni- tnandment, he went with Fer- nando Pizarro to the con- quest of Peru, where (as many persons of credit re- ■' '■ DE SOTO. ported, which were there pres- ent) ... he passed all other captains and principal persons. For which cause, besides his part of the treasure of Atabalipa, he had a good share ; whereby in time he gathered an hundred and fourscore ducats 122 THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. together, with that which fell to his part, which he brought into Spain. . . . The emperor made him the governor of the Isle of Cuba, and adelantado or presi- dent of Florida, with a title of marquis of certain part of the lands that he should conquer. . . . When Don Ferdinando had obtained the government, there came a gentleman from the Indies to the court, named Cabeza de Vaca, which had been with the gov- ernor Pamphilo de Narvaez, which died in Florida, — who reported that Narvaez was cast away at sea, with all the company that went with him, and how he with four more escaped, and arrived in New Spain ; and he brought a relation in writing of that which he had seen in Florida, which said in some places, " In such a place I have seen this ; and the rest which here I saw, I leave to confer of between his Majesty and myself." . . . And he informed them, " that it was the richest country in the world." Don Ferdinand de Soto was very desirous to have him with him. and made him a favorable offer ; and after they were agreed, because Soto gave him not a sum of money which he de- manded to buy a ship, they broke off again. . . . The Portuguese departed from Elvas the 15th of Jan- uary, and came to Seville the 19th of the same month, and went to the lodging of the governor, and entered into a court, over the which there were certain galleries where he was, who came down, and received them at the stairs whereby they went up into the galleries. When he was come up, he commanded chairs to be given them to sit on. And Andrew de Vasconcelos told him wlio he and the other Portuguese were, and how they all were come to accompany him, and serve him in his HOW DE SOTO SET SAIL. 1 23 voyage. He gav^e him thanks, and made show of great contentment for his coming and offer. And, the table being already laid, he invited them to dinner. And, being at dinner, he commanded his steward to seek a lodging for them near unto his own, where they might be lodged. The adelantado departed from Seville to Saint Lvicar with all the people which were to go with him. And he commanded a muster to be made, at the which the Portuguese showed themselves armed in very bright armor, and the Castilians very gallant with silk upon silk, with manypinkings and cuts. The governor, because these braveries' in such an action did not like^ him, commanded that they should muster another day, and every one should come forth with his armor ; at the which the Portuguese came, as at the first, with very good armor. The governor placed them in order near unto the standard which the ensign-bearer carried. The Castilians, for the most part, did wear very bad and rusty shirts of mail, and all of them head-pieces and steel caps, and very bad lances ; and some of them sought to come among the Portuguese. So those passed, and were counted and enrolled, which Soto liked and accepted of, and did accompany him into Florida, which were in all six hundred men. He had already bought seven ships, and had all neces- sary provision aboard them. He appointed captains, and delivered to every one his ship, and gave them in a roll what people every one should carry with them. . . . In the year of our Lord 1538, in the month of April, the adelantado delivered his ships to the captains which were to go in them ; and took for himself a new 1 Fine clothes. '- Please. 124 THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. ship, and good of sail, and gave another to Andrew de Vasconcelos, in which the Portuguese went. He went over the bar of San Lucar on Sunday, being San Lazarus day, in the morning, of the month and year aforesaid, with great joy, commanding his trumpets to be sounded, and many shots of the ordnance to be discharged. II. — De Soto attacks the Indians, and finds a Fellow-Countrvman. From the town of Ucita,' the governor sent the alcalde mayor, Baltasar de Gallegos, with forty horse- men and eighty footmen, into the country, to see if they could take any Indians ; and the captain, John Rodriguez Lobillo, another way, with fifty footmen. The most of them were swordmen and targetiers ;- and the rest were shot and crossbow men. They passed through a country full of bogs, where horses could not travel. Half a league from the camp, they lighted upon certain cabins of Indians near a river. The people that were in them leaped into the river; yet they took four Indian women : and twenty Indians charged us, and so distressed us, that we were forced to retire to our camp, being, as they are, exceeding ready with their weapons. It is a people so warlike and so nimble, that they care not a whit for any footmen ; for, if their enemies charge them, they run away ; and, if they turn their 1 Probably near the Hillsborough River in Florida. 2 Men who carried swords and targets. Others carried matchlock guns (arciuebuses) or cross-bows. DE SOTO ATTACKS THE INDIANS. 125 backs, they are presently upon them ; and the thing they most flee is the shot of an arrow. They never stand still, but are always running and traversing' from one place to another, by reason whereof neither cross- bow nor arquebuse can aim at them : and, before one crossbow-man can make one shot, an Indian will discharge three or four arrows ; and he seldom misseth what he shooteth at. An arrow, where it findeth no armor, pierceth as deeply as a crossbow. Their bows are very long ; and their arrows are made of certain canes like reeds, very heavy, and so strong, that a sharp cane passeth through a target. Some they arm in the point with a sharp bone of a fish like a chisel ; and in 1 Crossing. 126 THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. Others they fasten certain stones like points of dia- monds. P'or the most part, when they light upon an armor, they break in the place where they are bound together. Those of cane do split and pierce a coat of mail, and are more hurtful than the other. John Rodriguez Lobillo returned to the camp with six men wounded, whereof one died, and brought the four Indian women which Baltasar Gallegos had taken in the cabins or cottages. Two leagues from the town, coming into the plain field, he espied ten or eleven Indians, among whom was a Christian, which was naked and scorched with the sun, and had his arms razed,' after the manner of the Indians, and differed nothing at all from them. And, as soon as the horsemen saw them, they ran toward them. The Indians tied, and some of them hid themselves in a wood ; and they over- took two or three of them which were wounded. And the Christian, seeing an horseman run upon him with his lance, began to cry out, " Sirs, I am a Christian ! Slay me not, nor these Indians ; for they have saved my life." And straightway he called them, and put them out of fear; and they came forth of the wood unto them. The horsemen took both the Christian and the Indians up behind them, and toward night came into the camp with much joy ; which thing being known by the governor and them that remained in the camp, they were received with the like.- 1 Made smooth. ^ Witli tlie same joy. THE STORY OF JOHN ORTIZ. 127 III. — The Story of John Ortiz. This Christian's name was John Ortiz ; and he was born in Seville in worshipful parentage.' He was twelve years in the hands of the Indians. He came into this country with Paniphilo de Narvaez, and returned in the ships to the Island of Cuba, where the wife of the governor, Painphilo de Narvaez, was ; and by his commandment, with twenty or thirty in a brigan- tine, returned back again to Florida. And coming to the port in the sight of the town, on the shore they saw a cane sticking in the ground, and riven'- at the top, and a letter in it. And they believed that the governor had left it there to give advertisement^ of himself when he resolved to go up into the land ; and they demanded it of four or five Indians which walked along the sea- shore ; and they bade them by signs to come on shore for it, which, against the will of the rest, John Ortiz and another did. And as soon as they were on land, from the houses of the town issued a great number of Indians, which compassed them about, and took them in a place where they could not flee ; and the other, which sought to defend himself, they presently killed upon the place, and took John Ortiz alive, and carried him to Ucita, their lord. And those of the brigantine sought not to land, but put themselves to sea, and returned to the Island of Cuba. Ucita commanded to bind John Ortiz hand and foot upon four stakes aloft upon a raft, and to make a fire under him, that there he might be 1 Of a good family. '^ Split. 3 Information, 128 THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. burned. But a daughter of his desired him that he would not put him to death, alleging that one only Christian could do him neither hurt nor good, telling him that it was more for his honor to keep him as a captive. And Ucita granted her request, and com- manded him to be cured of his wounds; and, as soon as he was whole, he gave him the charge of the keep- ing of the temple, because that by night the wolves did carry away the dead bodies out of the same ; who commended himself to God, and took upon him the charge of his temple. One night the wolves got from him the body of a little child, the son of a principal Indian ; and, going after them, he threw a dart at one of the wolves, and struck him ' that carried away the body, who, feeling himself wounded, left it, and fell down dead near the place ; and he, not wotting- what he had done, because it was night, went back again to the temple. The morning being come, and finding not the body of the child, he was very sad. As soon as Ucita knew thereof, he resolved to put him to death, and sent by the track which he said the wolves went, and found the body of the child, and the wolf dead a little beyond : whereat Ucita was much contented with the Christian, and with the watch which he kept in the temple, and from thence- forward esteemed him much. Three years after he fell into his hands, there came another lord, called Mocogo, who dwelleth two days' journey from the port, and burned his town. Ucita fled to another town that he had in another seaport. Thus John Ortiz lost his office and favor that he had 1 The wolf. - Kiiowin". THE STORY OF JOHN ORTIZ. I 29 with him. These people, being worshippers of the devil, are wont to offer up unto him the lives and blood of their Indians, or of any other people they can come by ; and they report, that, when he will have them do that sacrifice unto him, he speaketh with them, and telleth them that he is athirst, and willeth them to sac- rifice unto him. John Ortiz had notice by the damsel that had delivered him from the fire, how her father was determined to sacrifice him the day following, who willed him to flee to M0C090, for she knew that he would use him well ; for she heard say that he had asked for him, and said he would be glad to see him. And, because he knew not the way, she went with him half a league out of the town by night, and set him in the way, and returned, because she would not be dis- covered. John Ortiz travelled all that night, and by the morn- ing came unto a river which is in the territory of Mocogo ; and there he saw two Indians fishing. And because they were in war with the people of Ucita, and their languages were different, and he knew not the language of M0C090, he was afraid — because he could not tell them who he was, nor how he came thither; nor was able to answer any thing for himself — that they would kill him, taking him for one of the Indians of Ucita. And, before they espied him, he came to the place where they had laid their weapons ; and, as soon as they saw him, they fled toward the town ; and al- though he willed them to stay, because he meant to do them no hurt, yet they understood him not, and ran away as fast as ever they could. And as soon as they came to the town, with great outcries, many Indians 130 THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. came forth against him, and began to compass ^ him to shoot at him. John Ortiz, seeing himself in so great danger, shielded himself with certain trees, and -began to shriek out, and cry very loud, and to tell them that he was a Christian, and that he was fled from Ucita, and was come to see and serve M0C090, his lord. It pleased God, that at that very instant there came thither an Indian that could speak the language, and understood him, and pacified the rest, who told them what he said. Then ran from thence three or four Indians to bear the news to their lord, who came forth a quarter of a league from the town to receive him, and was very glad of him. He caused him presently to swear, according to the custom of the Christians, that he would not run away from him to any other lord, and promised him to entreat^' him very well, and that, if at any time there came any Christians into that country, he would freely let him go, and give hini leave to go, to them ; and likewise took his oath to perform the same according to the Indian custom. About three years after, certain Indians which were fishing at sea, two leagues from the town, brought news to M0C090 that they had seen ships ; and he called John Ortiz, and gave him leave to go his way ; who, taking his leave of him, with all the haste he could, came to the sea ; and, finding no ships, he thought it to be some deceit, and that the cacique ^ had done the same to learn his mind : so he dwelt with M0C090 nine years, with small hope of seeing any Christians. As soon as our governor arrived in Florida, it was known to Mocogo ; and straightway he signified to John I Sunound- - Treat, >* Chief. DE SOTO DISCOVERS THE MISSISSIPPI. 131 Ortiz that Christians were lodged in the town of Ucita. And he thought he had jested with him, as he had done before, and told him, that by this time he iiad forgot- ten the Christians, and thought of nothing else but to serve him. But he assured him that it was so, and gave him license to go unto tliem, saying unto him, that if he would not do it, and if the Christians should go their way, he should not blame him ; for he had ful- filled that which he had promised him. The joy of John Ortiz was so great, that he could not believe that it was true ; notwithstanding, he gave him thanks, and took his leave of him. And Mocogo gave him ten or eleven principal Indians to bear him company. And, as they went to the port where the governor was, they met with Baltasar dc Gallegos, as I have declared before. IV. — De Soto discovers the Mississippi. The next day, when the governor expected the cacique, there came many Indians with their bows and arrows, with a purpose to set upon ' the Christians. The governor had commanded all the horsemen to be armed and on horseback, and in a readiness. When the Indians saw that they were ready, they stayed a crossbow-shot from the place where the governor was, near a brook. And, after half an hour that they had stood there still, there came to the camp six principal Indians, and said they came to see what people they were ; and that long ago they had been informed by their forefathers thac a white people should subdue them, and therefore they 1 Attack. 132 THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. would return to their cacique, and bid him come pres- ently, to obey and serve the governor. And, after they had presented him with six or seven skins and mantles which they brought, they took their leave of him, and returned with the other, which waited for them by the brookside. The cacique never came again, nor sent other message. And, because in the town where the governor lodged there was small store of maize, he removed to another half a league from Rio Grande,' where they found plenty of maize. And he went to see the river, and found that near unto it was great store of timber to make barges, and good situation of ground to encamp in. Presently he removed himself thither. They made houses, and pitched their camp in a plain field, a cross- bow-shot from the river. And thither was gathered all the maize of the towns which they had lately passed. They began presently to cut and hew down timber, and to saw planks for barges. The Indians came presently down the river : they leaped on shore, and declared to the governor that they were subjects of a great lord, whose name was Aquixo, who was lord of many towns, and governed many people on the other side of the river ; and came to tell him, on his behalf, that the next day he, with all his men, Avould come to see what it would please him to command him. The next day, with speed, the cacique came with two hundred canoes full of Indians, with their bows and arrows, painted, and with great plumes of white feath- ers, and many other colors, with shields in their hands, wherewith they defended the rowers on both sides ; and 1 The Great River, or Mississippi. DE SOTO DISCOVERS THE MISSISSIPPI. 133 the men-of-war stood from the head to the stern, with their bows and arrows in their hands. The canoe wherein the cacique was had a tilt ' over the stern ; and he sat under the tilt : and so were other canoes of the principal Indians. And from under the tilt, where the chief man sat, he governed and commanded the other people. All joined together, and came within a stone's-cast of the shore. From thence the cacique said to the governor, which walked along the river's side with others that waited on him, that he was come thither to visit, to honor, and to obey him, because he knew he was the greatest and mightiest lord on the earth : therefore he would see what he would command him to do. The governor yielded him thanks, and requested him to come on shore, that they might the better communicate together. And, without any answer to that point, he sent him three canoes, wherein was great store of fish, and loaves made of the substance of prunes,^ like unto bricks. After he had received all, he thanked him, and prayed him again to come on shore. And, because the cacique's purpose was to see if with dissimulation he •might do some hurt, when they saw that the governor and his men were in readiness, they began to go from the shore ; and, with a great cry, the crossbow-men which were ready shot at them, and slew five or six of them. They retired with great order. None did leave his oar, though the next to him were slain ; and, shielding themselves, they went farther off. Afterward they came many times, and landed ; and, when any of us came toward them, they fled unto their canoes, which were pleasant to 1 An awning. ~ Persimmons. 134 THE ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO. behold, for they were very great, and well made, and had their awnings, plumes, shields, and flags ; and, with the multitude of people that were in them, they seemed to be a fair army of galleys. In thirty days' space, while the governor remained there, they made four barges, in three of which he com- manded twelve horsemen to enter (in each of them four), in a morning, three hours before day, — men which he trusted would land in despite of the Indians, and make sure the passage, or die ; and some footmen, being crossbow-men, went with them, and rowers to set them on the other side. And in the other barge he com- manded John de Guzman to pass with the footmen, which was made captain instead of Francisco Mal- donado. And, because the stream was swift, they went a quarter of a league up the river, along the bank, and, crossing over, fell down with the stream, and landed right over against the camps. Two stones'-cast before they came to land, the horse- men went out of the barges on horseback, to a sandy plot of very hard and clear ground, where all of them landed without any resistance. As soon as those that passed first were on land on the other side, the barges returned to the place where the governor was ; and, within two hours after sunrising, all the people were over.' The river was almost half a league broad. If a man stood still on the other side, it could not be dis- cerned whether he were a man or no. The river was of great depth, and of a strong current. The river was always muddy. There came down the river continually many trees and timber, which the force of the water and 1 The place of crossing was probably near Helena, Arkansas, DE SOTO S ATTEMPTS TO REACH THE SEA. 1 35 Stream brought down. There was great store of fish in it, of sundry sorts, and the most of it differing from the fresh-water fish of Spain, as hereafter shall be shown. V. — De Soto's vain attempts to reach the Sea. That day came an Indian to the governor from the cacique of Guachoya, and said that his lord would come the next day. The next day they saw many canoes come up the river ; and on the other side of the great river they assembled together in the space of an hour. They consulted whether they should come or not ; and at length concluded to come, and crossed the river. In them came the cacique of Guachoya, and brought with him many Indians, with great store of fish, dogs, deer's skins, and mantles. And, as soon as they landed, they went to the lodging of the governor, and presented him their gifts. And the cacique uttered these words : — " Mighty and excellent lord, I beseech your lordship to pardon me the error which I committed in absenting myself, and not tarrying in this town to have received your lordship. . . . But I feared that which I needed not to have feared, and so did that which was not rea- son to do." . . . The governor received him with much joy, and gave him thanks for his present and offer. He asked him whether he had any notice of the sea. He answered, No, nor of any towns down the river on that side, save that two leagues from thence was one town of a princi- pal Indian, a subject of his ; and on the other side of the river, three days' journey from thence down the 136 THE ADV^ENTURES OF DE SOTO. river, was the province of Quigalta, which was the greatest lord that was in that country. The governor thought that the cacique lied unto him to rid ' him out of his own towns, and sent John Danusco, with eight horsemen, down the river to see what habitation there was, and to inform himself if there were any notice of the sea. He travelled eight days ; and at his return he said, that, in all that time, he was not able to go above fourteen or fifteen leagues, because of the great creeks that came out of the river, and groves of canes and thick woods that were along the banks of the river, and that he had found no habitation. The governor fell into great dumps to see how hard it was to get to the sea, and worse because his men and horses every day diminished, being without succor to sustain themselves in the country ; and with that thought he fell sick. But, before he took his bed, he sent an Indian to the cacique of Quigalta, to tell him that he was the child of the sun ; and that, all the way that he came, all men obeyed and served him ; that he requested him to accept of his friendship, and come unto him, for he would be very glad to see him ; and, in sign of love and obedience, to bring something with him of that which in his country was most esteemed. The cacique answered by the same Indian, — " That whereas he said he w