CHAP.
VI.]
CHRISTOPHER
COLUMBUS.
345
gold for the usual trifles, and Quibian returned, without much ceremony, to his home. On the 24th of January, there was a sudden swelling of the river. The waters came rushing from the interior like a vast torrent ; the ships were forced from their anchors, tossed from side to side, and driven against each other ; the foremast of the admiral's vessel was carried away, and the whole squadron was in imminent danger of shipwreck. While exposed to this peril in the river, they were prevented from running out to sea by a vio lent storm, and by the breakers which beat upon the bar. This sudden rising of the river, Columbus attributed to some heavy fall of rain among a range of distant mountains, to which he had given the name of the mountains of San Christoval. The high est of these rose to a peak far above the clouds.* The weather continued extremely boisterous for several days. At length, on the 6th of February, the sea being tolerably calm, the Adelantado, attended by sixty-eight men well armed, proceed ed in the boats to explore the Veragua, and seek its reputed mines. When he ascended the river and drew near to the village of Quibian, situated on the side of a hill, the cacique came down to the bank to meet him, with a great train of his subjects, un armed, and making signs of peace. Quibian was naked, and painted after the fashion of the country. One of his attendants drew a great stone out of the river, and washed and rubbed it carefully, upon which the chieftain seated himself as upon a throne.† He received the Adelantado with great courtesy ; for the lofty, vigorous, and iron form of the latter, and his look of resolution and command, were calculated to inspire awe and re* Las Casas, lib. ii. cap. 25. Hist. del Almirante, cap. 95. † Peter Martyr, decad. iii. lib. iv.
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