On the following morning, at break of day, the shore was thronged with the natives; some swam off to the ships, others came in light barks which they called canoes, formed of a single tree, hollowed, and capable of holding from one man to the number of forty or fifty. These they managed skillfully with paddles, and, if overturned, swam about in the water with perfect unconcern, as if in their natural element, righting their canoes with great facility1.
They were eager to procure more toys and trinkets, -not,apparently, from any idea of their value, but because everything from the hands of the strangers possessed a supernatural virtue in their eyes as having been brought from heaven; they even picked up fragments of glass and earthenware as valuable prizes.
The avarice of the discoverers was quickly excited by the sight of small ornaments of gold, worn by some of the natives in their noses. These the latter gladly exchanged for glass beads and hawk"s bells; and both parties exulted in the bargain, no doubt admiring2 each other"s simplicity.
Columbus inquired of the natives where this gold wasprocured. They answered him by signs, pointing to the south,1Facility: ease; readiness.
2Admiring: wondering at, -an old use of the word.
where, he understood them, dwelt a king of such wealth that he was served in vessels of wrought gold. He understood, also, that there was land to the south, the southwest, and the northwest, and that the people from the last-mentioned quarter frequently proceeded to the southwest in quest of gold and precious stones, making in their way descents upon the islands and carrying off the inhabitants.
The island where Columbus had thus, for the first time, set his foot upon the New World was called by the natives Guana- hane. It still retains the name of San Salvador, which he gave to it, though called by the English Cat Island. The light which he had seen on the evening previous to his making land may have been on Watling"s Island, which lies a few leagues to the east.
On the morning of the 14th of October, the admiral set off at daybreak with the boats of the ships to reconnoiter1 the island, directing his course to the northeast. The coast was surrounded by a reef of rocks, within which there was a depth of water and sufficient harbor to receive all the ships in Christendom. The entrance was very narrow; within, there were several sand banks, but the water was as still as a pool.
The island appeared throughout to be well wooded, with streams of water, and a large lake in the center. As the boats proceeded, they passed two or three villages, the inhabitants of which, men as well as women, ran to the shores, throwing themselves on the ground, lifting up their hands and eyes, either giving thanks to heaven, or worshiping the Spaniards1 Reconnoiter: examine, especially for military purposes.
as supernatural beings. They ran along parallel to the boats, calling after the Spaniards, and inviting them by signs to land, offering them various fruits and vessels of water.
Finding, however, that the boats continued on their course, many threw themselves into the sea and swam after them, and others followed in canoes. The admiral received them all with kindness, giving them glass beads and other trifles, which were received with transport as celestial presents, for the invariable idea of the savages was that the white men had come from the skies.