LIFE A N D
492
VOYAGES
Of
[BOOK V I I .
an island, while the land continued to stretch forward interminably, bending towards the south, conformably to the description of the remote coasts of India. Lest they should subsequently, out of malice or caprice, contradict the opinion thus solemnly avowed, it was proclaimed by the notary, that whoever should offend in such manner, if an officer, should pay a penalty of ten thousand maravedies; if a shipboy, or person of like rank, he should receive a hundred lashes, and have his tongue cut out.
A formal statement was afterwards
drawn up by the notary, including the depositions and names of every individual; which document still exists.*
This singular
process took place near that deep bay called by some the bay of Philipina, by others of Cortes.
At this very time, as has been
remarked, a ship-boy from the mast-head might have overlooked the group of islands to the south, and beheld the open sea beyond.† Two or three days further sail would have carried Columbus round the extremity of Cuba ; would have dispelled his illusion, and might have given an entirely different course to his subsequent discoveries.
In his present conviction he lived and died;
believing, to his last hour, that Cuba was the extremity of the Asiatic continent. Relinquishing all further investigation of the coast, he stood to the southeast on the 13th of June, and soon came in sight of a large island with mountains rising majestically among this labyrinth of little keys.
To this he gave the name of Evangelista.
It is at present known as the island of Pines, and is celebrated for its excellent mahogany. error as to have given this extent to the southern side of the island, even including the inflections of the coast. * Navarrete, Colec, torn. ii.
† Muñoz. Hist. N. Mundo, lib. v. p. 217.