THE
COMPANIONS
OF COLUMBUS.
146
C H A P T E R III. VASCO NUNEZ HEARS OF A SEA BEYOND
THE MOUNTAINS.
V A S C O NUNEZ kept his word with the father of his Indian beauty. Taking with him eighty men, and his companion in arms Rodri足 go Enriquez de Colmenares, he repaired by sea to Coyba, the province of the cacique.
Here landing he invaded the territories
of Ponca, the great adversary of Careta, and obliged him to take refuge in the mountains.
He then ravaged his lands, and sacked
his villages, in which he found considerable booty.
Returning
to Coyba, where he was joyfully entertained by Careta, he next made a friendly visit to the adjacent province of Comagre, which was under the sway of a cacique, of the same name, who had 3000 fighting men at his command. This province was situated at the foot of a lofty mountain in a beautiful plain, twelve leagues in extent.
On the approach of
Vasco Nunez, the cacique came forth to meet him, attended by seven sons, all fine young men, the offspring of his various wives. He was followed by his principal chiefs and warriors, and by a multitude of his people.
The Spaniards were conducted with
great ceremony to the village, where quarters were assigned them, and they were furnished with abundance of provisions, and men and women were appointed to attend upon them. The dwelling of the cacique surpassed any they had yet seen for magnitude, and for the skill and solidity of the architecture. It was one hundred and fifty paces in length, and eighty in breadth, founded upon great logs, surrounded with a stone wall ; while the upper part was of wood work, curiously interwoven,
VOL.
m.
B