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L I F E A N D V O Y A G E S OF
[BOOK V I I .
C H A P T E R III.
RETURN TO CUBA.—NAVIGATION AMONG THE ISLANDS C A L L E D THE QUEEN'S GARDENS. [1494.]
SETTING sail from the gulf of Buentiempo, the squadron once more steered for the island of Cuba, and on the 18th of May arrived at a great cape, to which Columbus gave the name of Cabo de la Cruz, which it still retains.
Here, landing at a
large village, he was well received and entertained by the ca cique and his subjects, who had long since heard of him and his ships.
In fact, Columbus found, from the report of this chief
tain, that the numerous Indians who had visited his ships during his cruise along the northern coast in his first voyage, had spread the story far and near of these wonderful visitors who had de scended from the sky, and had filled the whole island with rumors and astonishment.*
The admiral endeavored to ascertain from
this cacique and his people, whether Cuba was an island or a continent.
They all replied that it was an island, but of infinite
extent; for they declared that no one had ever seen the end of it.
This reply, while it manifested their ignorance of the nature
of a continent, left the question still in doubt and obscurity. Indian name of this province of Cuba was Macaca. * Cura de los Palacios, cap. 126.
The