The Life of Columbus / From His Own Letters and Journals and Other Documents of His Time

AND THE GREAT KHAN-FROM CUBA

but set about here and there. They were all built of palm branches. Here were dogs which never barked (supposed to be the almiqui), wild birds tamed in the houses and "w

ere probabl

ays' journey from this was what they called "Cuba." Now they had been coasting along the Island of Cuba for two or three days. But Martin Pinzon, the captain of th

o the river the Indians mentioned, and to send to the king the letter of the sovereigns. He meant to send with it a sailor who had been to Gui

e nature of the coast proved unfit for his going up the river the Indians

did they belong to the Grand Khan, but they gave, of what they had, in many islands where they had been. He now jumped into the sea and swam ashore, and two of the inhabitants took him in their arms and brought him to a house where they asked him questions. When he had reas

y would bring news from the king, who, according to their signs, was four days' journey away. "And it is certain" says the Admiral, "that this is the mainland, and that I am before Zayto and Quinsay, a hundred leagues m

t shore. He then returned to the east, governed by the assurances of the natives that on an island named Babegue he would find men who used hammers with wh

ember, he sent two officers inland, one of whom was a Jew, who knew Chaldee, Hebrew and a little Arabic, in the hope that they s

about fifty large houses, made in the form of tents. This village had about a thousand inhabitants, according to th

gave them seats, and then sat round them on the ground in a circle. They kissed their fee

says that the dry herbs were wrapped in another leaf as dry. He says that "they lighted one end of the little stick thus formed, and sucked in or absorbed the smoke by the other, with which," he says, "they put their flesh to sleep, and it nearly intoxicates them, and thus they say that they feel no fatigue. These mosquetes

o change the style from old to new, may be taken by lovers of tobacco as the

November the repa

ues to the Christians, and receive our customs and the things of the faith. Because I saw and know," says the Admiral, "that this people has no religion (secta) nor are they idolaters, but very mild and without knowing what evil is, nor how to kill others, nor how to take them, and without ar

faith a multitude of towns." "Without doubt there are in these lands the greatest quantities of gold, for not without cause do these Indians whom I am bringing say

quantity of mastic, and there might be more if more were desired. For the trees, if planted, take root, and there are many of them and very great and they have the lea

not get any of it, except a very little which I am bringing to your Highnesses. And besides, it may be that it is not the time to tap them, for I believe that

in, in the great cities of the Great Khan, which will doubtless be discovered, and many others of other lords, who will then have to s

d, because it is not found except in the said island of Chios, and I believe that they get from it quite 50,000 ducats if I remember ari

the moment when he wrote. However mistaken those impressions, he never corrects them afterwards. Althoug

From the eleventh of November until the sixth of December he was occupied in coasting along the no

, raising a cross there. At Port-au-Prince, to his surprise, he found on a point of rock two large logs, mortised into

thwest, seeking in these changes the island of "Babeque," which the Indians had spoken of as rich with gold.

s inquiries for gold. He was determined to find the island of Bohio, greatly to the terror of the poor Indians, whom he had on board:

ape Vacz. At Puerto Santo he was detained some days by bad weather. On the fourth of December he continued hi