LIFE A N D V O Y A G E S
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his ship they drew near, but would not venture on board until they saw Columbus. He showed himself at the side of his ves sel, and a light being held up, his countenance and commanding person were not to be mistaken. without hesitation.
They now entered the ship
One of them was a cousin of the cacique
Guacanagari, and brought a present from him of two masks orna mented with gold.
Columbus inquired about the Spaniards who
had remained on the island.
The information which the native
gave was somewhat confused, or perhaps was imperfectly under stood, as the only Indian interpreter on board was the young Lucayan, Diego Colon, whose native language was different from that of Hayti.
He told Columbus that several of the Spaniards
had died of sickness ; others had fallen in a quarrel among them selves, and others had removed to a different part of the island, where they had taken to themselves Indian wives.
That Gua
canagari had been assailed by Caonabo, the fierce cacique of the golden mountains of Cibao, who had wounded him in battle, and burnt his village; and that he remained ill of his wound in a neighboring hamlet, or he would have hastened in person to wel come the admiral.* Melancholy as were these tidings, they relieved Columbus from a dark and dismal surmise.
Whatever disasters had over
whelmed his garrison, it had not fallen a sacrifice to the perfidy of the natives: his good opinion of the gentleness and kindness of these people had not been misplaced ; nor had their cacique forfeited the admiration inspired by his benevolent hospitality. Thus the most corroding care was dismissed from his mind; for,
* Dr. Chanca's Letter, Hist. del Almirante, cap. 48. decad. i. lib. i. cap. 9.
Herrera, Hist. Ind ,