I (O”t.

‘ 5 1 1

ii ‘ I s d ti olo ti i c c i 0
d ti 1 P g THE LETTER WRITTEN BY DR CHANCA*
I
Ad is lab a s
I i Ii t i tit ir no it tid p nssi as TO THE CITY OF SEVILLE
as e lot 1 ov md Imo i ti a h hi ma jj
1 1 5 0 5 1 1 Ii 1 tot 0 C III I I rofot t h’l 0 ST E..x 0.0 OLE no S to: Since the contc.nts of tin p.rivate
1 4 t t I ii a ii w p to at, o letti rs which .1 have sent. to others ca.nnot be so g.eneraiiy coin
i 1 r plo a an I mpl oa I In, 10 hj h h 0 rnunicated as those which I am writing here, I have decided to
ii ml he t I n o hnh di ha 1 o ig’n iii>
s Sm nfl the news from this place in one le ter and my various
w t hi ii En I mu Ii ic ua
I h d la ‘d requests to your lordship in another, My no ws is as follows:
t It jo ml 1 i I, 1 cu it an I g a o I S 0 fleet which, by God’s will, the Catholie Kings, Ot.tr
Tb
I J L I t ti a c non mnted to lords, S itt to the indies nader the conan 100(1 of Christopher
heat byth Oft I I iii d h . at it lItCdt(
0 Columbus, their Admiral of the Ocean Sea, left Cadiz oii
itt ii F 25 September 1493,1’ Ihe we atiaer and avind favoured u.r
1’ P
journm. y a td continued to do so far t iü days, during which
I r i bk jl B i ml an m 1 mst 0
5 mm S m h a id I e e c nd no S New Work
we were able to ma.ke. about fifty leagues. The weather turned
I I i C em a a a a a id jt m ‘rn I ml against us for the next two days, an winch we made little or no
en ±1 ‘i i me n em m n 1 5 hoe to yr ogress. After this it pleased God to give us goo d weatin.a
h mm 1 i it o me ii d e I i had ‘en i S so that in ano her two days we reached Grand Canary,
i Cd lit ii d dm11 11 ml ii jH to
Lolmi mm
we put into port; which we were compelled to do in order to
rep.air a ship which was making much water. Ve re‘niatnvd
there for the whole day, and set out on the morreav and met
with some calms, so that we were four or five days itt reach.ing
Gomera. We. had to remain for SOtilo time at (sofliera, takhi
‘

on au the stores we could of meat, wood and water fca the

long voyage we expected to make without sighting land.
So with our stay at these ports aiid a day’s delay owing to
calm after leaving Gome ram, we were nineteen or twenty days
in arriving a t the island of Hierro. From here., by the kindness
of God, we had good weather, the best that ever a fleet had
on s ucla a long voyage, Having left Hierro on 13 October in
* Chanca was one of Ferdinand and Isabela’s physicians whoiss they
se.nt as doctor to the expedition and whose salary they paid.
t Columbus had a fleet of seventeen ships including cars vels and
hglater vessels for inshore work, and twelve to fifteen thousand omen,
129
nJer twenty days we sighted land., and we should have
SiJ I n iii iuUt ft r ii tL ut d ii ug hip 11 ud L ii is
i ‘a :awuv c :icm toe VVtiler

nine Lu LOunt.
33. ihis uns: we is.: ers• V5.
‘1
‘ia’ for nu (e5V:..s

cjyj the voyage, we met with no storms except

t S imos Lv (aft stni’ and Or four hours 1)ft
sv[:eti

:0 V n 3

L thor dn
1
Ad Shots, : oils .i rho .haoshup :: oat ci .rmiuig a sr :
1

[.attd in ii lit!’ All the iii veto so delighted that it 50115

on

.niarveious to hear their shouts and •e.r.ies of pieVastirro They

sod rasoj dies’ were
Or cvhn’’ud O’ tiseir priva

as nun ouiynn o set tint tlie all lCiifSC1l l1nr

‘V Ot l411s1. T hat 0. rho pihts of t1e det uucnldte-i
•thn the ..isran•ce Soo from the island or Hi.erns to
the tirat bad which we sighted. Or ers reck.oned y8o, which
was not veto difidrent, and the i•ditgsiidi 300 oni the
And f F linen to Cadi’ an A: t c total tuLe 1,100 Sn 1
1
tiniuts rLa es CHe had eeui LnoL.h svner ! On that Sunday
ow rusing niejitioned we saw an island lying ahead of the
ships and .afterwards another c.ame in sight on tiLie right..
‘I he first was hih and n ounrainous on tl.ie side that we saw,
and th other dat and covered with cccv thick ii Ces. As soon
:0 it tev: lihtcr, they islands began In appear ‘n both siLlC
ot the 5 hps, so that on th GaS’ siX olands WutO SCull ill
various :directso.n.s4 most .of them very i.arge. çr steered to
wamjne the first that we had seen and sailed along the coast
for nisre than a leassne. lookin fcc a harbour in which to
l)::ii, s: ds \ en tlx.,t Said.v,
Nisur.ia (..i..ne nsuied alter Columbus’s fLip Sense Jlidrin Ia
Gatanre,
iThis might have been a mistake; probably the peaks on Dominica
were counted s separate islands
130
 SECOND VOTAGE 1493—6
anchor, but could not find one anywhere. As much of the
island as we could see was all very mountainous, very beauti
ful and very greta down to the water’s edge. It was a pleasure
to look at, for at this season there is hardly any green in our
own country.
Since we found no harbour there, die Admiral decided to
steer for the other island, which lay on the right and was four
or the kagues from this one. Meanwhile one ship remained
oft the first hLnd for the ‘whole day, continuing to look for a
harbour, in case it should be necessary to retuni there. A good
harbour was eventually found, and people and houses
sighted. Later at night this ship rejoined the fleet, which had
found a harbour on the other island, where the Admiral and
many men had landed carrying the royal standard, and had
taken formal possession of the land for their Higlinesses. On
thi.. island the trees were amazingly dense, and were of a
gaeat variety of species known to none of us. Saint were in
fruit, some in ilawer, and all therefore were green. We found
one tree, like a laurel but not so large, the leaves of which
had the finest scent of dove that I have ever smelt. I think it
must have been a species of laurel. There were wild fruit* of
dif&rat kinds, which sonic rashly tried. But no sooner did
they taste them than their faces swelkd, gro ing so hiflamed
uid painful that they almost vcnt out of their minds. They
cur theniselve ich cold comprest3. We found no people
on this island, nor any sign of them, and believed it to be
uninhabited.
We remained only two hours, for when we got there it was
late evening. Next day we departed in the morning for an
other island, which appeared beyond this one, very large and
sunw seven or eight k-ag.ws away. At the point where we
rc.ched it, there as a great mountain niass which seemed to
wTbs was probably the nianchiaea1 wznzaniilo). The Cribs ead
the fruit of this tree to make poison for their arrows.
132
THE LETTER WRITTEN BY DR CHANCA
touch the sky, and in the middle a peak higher than all the rest.
From here an any streams flowed in didj,rent directions, par
ticularly in the direction in which we lay. Three leagues
away could be seen a waterSll of considerable breadth, which
It
fell from so high that is seemed to come from the sky.
could be seen from so far off that many wagers were laid on
board. Some said that it was white rock and others that it
was water. When we got nearer, the
truth was apparent. lt
was the most beautiful thing in the sorld to see the height
of
from which it fell, and from how small a place such a force
Admiral dispatched a
water sprang. ‘When we came near, the
light caravel to sail along the coast and look for a harbour.
sighted
The caravel went ahead and, on reaching the land,
sonic houses. The captain went ashore in the boat and visited
him. 1-Ic
the houses, whose inhabitants fled as soon as they saw
d
4
h
went into the houses and saw their possessions for they
taken nothing ‘with them. He took two parrots, ‘which w crc
very large and very diffirent from any previously seet.
i-ic
and some of
saw much cotton, spun and ready for spinning,
their food. He took a little of everything, and in particular
‘When
he took away four or five human arm and leg bones.
we saw these, we suspected that these were the Carib islands,
whose inhabitants cat human flesh. For following the indica
tions of their position given him by the Indisns of the islands
discovered in his previous voyage, the Admiral had set his
course to discover them, since they were nearer to Spain and
he
lay on the direct route to the island of Hispaniola, where
of
had left his men on the previous voyage. By the goodness
God, and thanks to the Admiral’s skill and knowledge, we
had reached them as directly as if we had been following
a known and familiar course.
This island* is very large, and on this side the co..st ap
peared to be twenty-five leagues in length. We sailed along
533
 C’A
THE LETI ER WRITTEN BY DR CHAN
SE(.ONi) VOYAGr; 1493—.6
at the
it kr iic nh\vo leaias louking ifir a harbour. On the so long as our men did ciot come ashore, remaining
water’s edge, ready to escape at ally mome nt. Conseu emly
side we approached there were very high mounrans, and en or by pew
11O1IC of these men could be taken,
either by force
the side front winch we left wid plains appearcd On th
suasion, except two, who grew confident and were captuced
a
nw lc ‘cc there re s on’ ttall vil ,es, and at the sight of our
little later. in addition to the two who ti eec taken by farce,
saili ai..i the p.eopie fled, Whe.n we had gone two leagues and
more than twenty of women prisoners and some
it 0 a 1 Litc lace, w fhund a harbour. ibat night th Adndral
decadisi chat so.me men should land early next rnornin and natives of the island came of their own accocd. Soue buy
die
iu c cvcrsatjon with th nitices, to timi out s’ bat people prisoners also 1k .d to our men, cscapiigfl’om the natives of
tin v were, tiiouh he already suspected that they were Carihs island who were guarding them.
the
the people whom h hatt iCaO runmin 4 away’ ere naked, e rencaiied in this harbour for eight days because of
7
like those he had seen on his prcviu vienge loss of time captain I have spoken of, and landed ses eral Lilies
roast,
Cersam ,aptams set: out in the niornuig at I some retUrflr‘ci en the island, visiting the dvuehlines and villages on the
nbc. ‘cue found great numbers of’ human bones and skulls
a diluter—time briiging a buy of about lourteen, who later few men
told us that he •••t one of these people’s captives. f oilier hanging in the houses as vessels to hold things. Very
,
ta1Ljs went iii various directions. A tiiw men returned with a
1
Ca
appeared and the reason was, as we learned front time women
that ten canoes had gone to raid oilier islands . These people
boy whom a man bad been leading by the band, but had have
at thair approach. Only these fdw were detached seemed to us more civilized than those elsewhere. All
and
to brine him back, the rest remainin behind, These captured straw houses, but these people build them much better,
Si omen of the island, and CisC broufit back other
have larger stocks 0 f provisions, and show more signs of
industry practised by both men and women. They have
much
0 omen svho were prisoners and caine of their Own accord. cloth
0 cc captadn separated himself them the party with six men, cotton, spun and ready far spinning, and much cotton

nut kiiowine th.t any infdrn,iun had been gained. He and
his companions got los t and could find their way back
until, after four days, they struck the coast, which they
fdiiov.ved unti.i. they rejoined the fleet. We thought that they
dead ajid eaten by these Caribs, fhr there scented no
other explanation of their disappiarran•ce, since among them
we.re pilots, s.ilors capable ofinaking the voyag to and from
Spain hr the StCrs, and we didn’t think thav could get lost in
so small a spare.
Oa tE tInt inn of uar 1 Iudi nancy men and women
, which were Caribs and which were not, The Caribs wore
ik.ed along the seasho re, gazing on the fleet and marvelling
11 woven that it is no way inferior to the cloth of our
so ‘cue
ers
own country. \Ve asked the women who were held prison
on this island what kind of people these were; and they replied
that they were Caribs. Vhen they understood that we hated
these people on account of their cannibalism, they w etc highly
delighted; and after that, if any Carib man or woman was
brought in, they quietly told us that they were Caribs. bor
even here, where all were iii our power, they
showed the fear
of a conquered people, and thus we learnt from the women
round their legs two rings of wovexi cotton one below the
—

at the strange sight. And when a boat put ashore to speak with knee and one at the ankle, In this way they make their calves
them saying Taynu Tdyuo’, which means ycod, they waited large and constrict the knee and ankle. They seem to regard
‘35
‘34
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 5L(i S w: 1493--C) Till SETtER WitiS SER 105 Dli uitAli05i

.uLni1i5 ither iiOi ot

ai soderahie siLC they ti jed hard to Jo so. Our rnoi run ad siteS hen sO
re isited l)iiC of tin sa, diAXA0 to rJictr those who that they disi hOt et tar. \ heri the (wiOs sa’a tIlit highs is
.lad been leit on .Hispaiuola. But it did not please God that we useless they very boldly snatched up their bows, un-ti and
should do so, a.s will appear later. wome.n alike; ‘my ‘very boldly’ because they were otil y fot:mr
Next. doy in dnmewtirtse. we reached an.other isiandt which men and two women and there were twe.nt —five or more in
seemed to Us be a erR good one, for, to judge b the
.

our boss, hut they succeeded in wounding two uf Wei n,

[suLu 4)! tJD\ acu upon it. it \sas dneKlv mhacsd. One Wit 1550 arrOss in the hesr arid
thc osh ‘ri’ish
vaa ur nd nuns e’acl habour. [lieu tin us hs it OUt melt had hOt cn’iied shields I is , J
4
55) el ri,
Ic IliCf said 1usd in’s cui1e close tri the C,d:ue
and
li1nR pts. \iliii L
lnsnactr d te ..peah vuith she i.nnai.sisants ansi .inI 0 ii ost of th othets wunid hai’e becu
Wuihlr1ed IOU \s lsxi Un

sithe w.hat people thny were. We. also wished for information boat was upset, the Indians renmined in the seater, sOflsCtliIlcs
about our course, though, slbte the fhct that the Admiral swimming and sometimes standing, since there were ballows
had never sailacI that wins lirfare lie had, as it ppciarcd later, there, and our men had sonic dilliculty in catching them, for
Ii Lo.\ved v direct. line. er•s f doubt.
t. nri
t they continued to shoot when ii em could. There waL indeed
not cdlv ‘nsmdeu
liuii iO r k’i CLI Iiac \ ldI U- Ricatest possilsie we, one thus they cld not take until he -

a. s±
Irh
5 tu mm imii us’. tim thor 111 tIn
Iso. Snr ol WitS! pear—thrast and they breu ht hun thus is S’thildCd 10
5
Lu t nm-, I ami iImr Ilini ‘a who
c
5 bi—
to a vtihec, [lie siuif’.
isi.mi cdrnt o/’ this sinie isi”riOi by sair vj
rita had all gone 1.1510 hiding. ‘I lie .landing party took some,
tin ai,IyHisilS

women and boys, most o.f whom were the peoples captives, En lion JN ]X1isIele sit’ Ci lice, dire u’s odthiioua I !iht on
Psr like the inhabitants of the other islands these people re -
the Christians behavi.our to the Italians:
earibs, as w learnt fro the •wm .Sdn a•s’l”iom
.
took with us. j/ I was in the boar, I cspture.d a
1
‘f beautiful (Nil/s
\\ IICII bow s th fite
at to esm a to his’ silips is 1
,., tI mid Lid duuoa/ a in’. I l”iri I laid
t liasi O0-.’. hr em-a Orion tIlls 0l’ICC. tflrre SlId h,iCS f
10/Sd us r 1,’ hu)’ mulEi hiss i S 55

vIsit is? ash a’iriismI U

‘‘trsi liLa Csr I C..,uOC 55 Ih tnsii ilirli, Iwo ri OIIICIS julusu l’lti! a ksc O take Ill) pIOILOL

hu, uiJ is UCi1 thr ‘a IlL: flei 111eV ‘a crc su airiazsd 3/ic n as t1Ia’hEilh, .i;J s’ 1Istid ,
ni us,
Lhtojy Hg’
that they remained usoticni.ess for a full hour about two nails that I wished I had never b p
1 iii. But to suit a big’
--
sri my short

soundly, arid she let

lombard shots from the ships. The crew of the boat and in — I then took a piece of’ rope aud lvhipplsd her
deed the whole fleet saw their ripefaction Soon those ii the
‘
/hrth such incredible scicains that you would us’ t have believed your
•boats went after them, keeping s elOSe to the shore that ears, Eventually we muic to Silt/i tcrnis,
I o’ssi ire p0 a, that you
biuht shovi/’r uhoits.
tllrsr Indians. loss in mm’nscut ud wonderin is hat the lhbi’L’ fiISu a s/ic hasi (rut up us

st 1igC :-hirlis illigili Or, I nsd o see hfiem, iiiti1 rItes \‘err The duE-rci’sec in appesraitec betu’eeiL these snd he
smt upon tin us and coir>Cue1Lri\’ could riot s-smpe 110iel1 OtISCts is 111:11 the Caribs wear their l,. r s cry
5 ioug .ini flu’
* ;rr Iarr is Ansigua. others have it cut irregularly 5 nJ decorate their heads iii a
j San rrhirtui, great number of different patterns, cads ic•cording to his
139
 TOE LETTER WRITTEN ii\ DR CIIANCA
LCuX1i S Ornea: 493-X5

n thh part of ih isLni, It so large that it is divided ness of the undergrowth it escaped into the sea and they never
Cause face to tbcc with it.
into 1.rovince.s. This par twhich we reached .fir.st is called Haiti,
inm, ad one after iliac in In Hispaniola and the other islands there arc a great number
tOe Our ii XC tOlt thn. cil
is n, ce.s .are t.henise.1 yes cf birds luke those of our country and many others of kinds
which we .now are. .13n.hi * fhese provin
an en-a Or I, en
a
rr urge. I mne sdii
never seen there. No doinesuc fouls have been found here
c where there were some ducks iii
-

at a 11 except in 1 tia,
Zuru
i
.have seen the •wholr: lergthu of the. coast suppose it to extend
;a la çsiaa L 1L Cf:Ci it iS jOt ICis than iSu lLwun,
the houses, most of them white as snow but a few black They
had fiat crests and were larger 5 at bonn’, though
tho
Inn rod in OIL 0 iIi t afroon 1 otty iliw ig
0 luIJ iiu Cut \et rcturjiej,
smaller than geese.
We saded along the Coast of this island für about a hundred
no.\ tjiu

.[he land d -y contains flatiy large wi-s

rcrnarkahl.e; it
It t n.h Ca 11— leagues, to the place where the Admiral had lefr his people,
which must have been about half—way along the island. As is e
—

Cams H. sept that 1011 nr.Hains reeli through one of the

coasted the proviluce of jamana, we put ashore
.0iC. I Ti a b:Hvr ilu.attisrra 15 \V111tn. either iii this
Indian captives of the prcious voyage, clothed, and with a
island or any die others, fdr many birds nests wr’ fdu.nd
law small objects -u hick the Admiral had given hint. That day
.of
a a No
a Basque sailor died who had been wounded by the Caribs
C I 1 1 willie Uljt

animal has b e.n ecu in any of them, except •fcv

on the occasion when we surprised theni by keeping close to
hiur•—fdoted
Oow f viom IOLICN utke lOuse iiu Spain. \VhiCti ira opportunity Wir
tile shore, Sluice we were near the coast due
of the build of large ni.astiffs. There are .no vdid hisasts, only a him, and two caras*ls
taken of sending a boat ashore to bury
o nra ow 0 f auuiie rh-hit, iclu a coat 0 f the n.anu
were sent in to escort it. Many Indians calm- out to meet clue
kind a.nd colotar and a l0fla: tail and hind and fdreffet like thoso as it beached, some of ivhoni hd 0old round their necks
Iij Ii LIjiuLO .iki univ ole, have tried it sv ths out to the ships with
or in their ears, 1hey wanted to come
fir ii is very good to eatt hrng ihriui sillCc they
the Christians, but the sailors refused to
I hi a ii,I1 snar Let only a tu lizircis, br—
bad no permission Irons the Admiral, When they realized
ir nil

caror the Indians consider them 5 a delicacy as wa do

that we were not going to rosy them cut, too of them got
phi 5iui> at luotue I lies are uf tie SaI1n’ size a oar ilatlu:
into a small canoe and went to one of the carasels which had
ha 0(1 but nih i ntL lot us. I th 1 in h on ons. m dl ol aid
put in towards the shore.
nrtrwu sailea v1oi, s.Lristi. ‘a here we tived tiar a
They were kindly received and were then conveyed to the
day svo, a •v•ery large bran.1 w.as seen rany nines and they said through an interpreter iliac
Admiral’s 5 hp,
so he b 0 a a lr aed the laitecli of a lance from rip to
they had been sent by a certain king to learn who sac ‘acre
tadt They often out to hunt it, hut Owing to the thick—
and to beg us to laud because they had much gold and would
I in 0 Ci I ii L it 1 Ili in. I lien I ii iCr ehuft l a I iii I give us some, as well as some food, The Admiri ordered
0 a. •*:.•. iht they should be given a shirt each and a cap and other
y Ngsiri, a OTsI of Tibia rat trifles, He told them, however, that as he was going to the
as. rthns: to QvjL do is iij,t
I ‘H
 5iHC0 a vos sGa : i THE LETTEn WRITTEN BY DR (vHANCa

place wh Guac.amari * live P., se could not wait now but stopping they turned round and rowed back. After we had
I at her linie, :t,J seaL anchored oflihore that evening, the Admiral ordered that two
5’, C1,iIit)LOiV 1si! C,f ion bards should be bred in hope that the Christians who bad
couno unal rcac.nsd a irLo’ caiLd Monte •Lhr.isti, remained with Guacamari oulJ reply, far they also had
where stayes two
. days Inspect tin grou.nd bes tuse the lombards, But there was no reply and no s in of fires ot
L n h Lhllttl houses in that place. ‘Ihis g ready disturbed our people, who
Pu IL:e sa drew the natural conclusion and were vcrs’ Sad.
at vuac i ssaner, Lit the LisO ciuia is all s\..Vantpy aad Jour or live hours after iliglIthill th sante canoe returned.

U 5 is U habitation, During tin .r i.nspe.s non of. the river

hi .
The Indians shouted to the captain of the first caravel tlley
and. the I. aid so a e of at no:I found taco Corpses at a pP approached, asking for the Admiral. They were taken to his
Eaia ti..,: ktLer ship hut ould not go aboard until the Admiral himself had
ffl neh, ‘
La. i:le neat tic
s. a ihe tint a a’’. spoken to them. Tlsey’ asked for a light in order to recognize
f ‘md two other rtiier upstrs. one of which •i•i, hint, and when they had done so came on board. One of theni
so a cli p.r es ervd th.at it was possible to see Pt at he ha d been was a cousin of Guacamari who had sent them on the previous
L’:aa. La..: sat n.ns pacn’J the \sc’rst JHsL occasion. When they had returned to hitui on that first
evening,
an inc lilnas O LraeJs. as la,s he had given them two gold masks, one to be taken as a present
to the Admiral and the other to one of the captains who had
.a.l.reasi v been observed.
I I h ci nut is ta u Is sa a Ii m ii pl it 551 accompanied him on his previous voyage. They remained
iEi. aboard for three hours, talking with the AJmir’i in die
0 it. llt.iial :.al:r:
iLa . in the eas •.un: t hnr presence of the whole crew, and scented hieLly delighted.
called Guaearnari ho was 1 di.n.k one the principal ci kings When the Admiral asked them about the Christians and how
of this isi.aad, That dan we arria ed off the pl.ace, but it they were, C uacaniari’s cousin answered that they were all
a. f’.,,aic st’ife IcP sn 5 T—
i’eh tin’ .
5 c1l. although some of them had died of WscaO and others of
aai oar Lao La IsO
- ‘:s’’as \osa’ea’e Jld unarrels which had ariien bet’ss’een them. He said that Guaca—
rla.re 0 inshore and eats r tli.e i.arb car until .n.ext •daD when man was lying at another village with a wound in his leg aud
soundings eou.id be taken and we couPI do so in saihty. ci for this reason had not conic, but that he ‘s’s ould .aou’nc the
ten a... . 1. t...., i.,.., 4:c,.... ..

next day. He said that two other kings, Caonabo and Mayreni,
Iirt: iii, :nci. ,aa: .::,e..ieo in tIn Jsacac had attacked him and burned the village. And they went
tive or sir’. ‘.indians wits: vve:e ro’sci.ng rapidly afi’er us, but, ashore later saying that they WOuld return the next day svidi
beiieving it was salbr for us to keep our sails set the Admiral Euacamari, and so they left us comforted for that night.
ave 1 P r o all osci s. vs alt Dr theta ‘1 In pre ned cci hose— Next morning we were waiting for Cuacamari to come,
a ttla ‘i.SDai’,i Lot or in. as e a and in the meantime several suci landed, on the Admiral’s
srop 105 to tooh at us .aiiu iten they saw that we were not orders, and went to the place where they had often been in
the past. They found the palisaded blockhouse in which the
14)
4
a

SF.CO’ND V)’SAGF I
Chrisfians md been left, burnt, and the village demolished by
nrc, nd tlsu sonic clothes nd ras5s that the Indians had
hrow4it to thruw into the house.* The indians whom they
n..iet there went about very war.ily and did not dare to tonic
near us. but ran away. ibis seemed a had shin, hot the Admiral
bed. told us. that on our arriv.ai so nsanv canoes would. put our
to :;onre •alongside and ace ins that we should not be able to
fuso tLen O, ciS hod been th 0e the prevthus vusude.
e .saw that they were mynr very a y with us, we caine
in We \verst conclusions.
that da’vwe m the ‘ivm in to bern and threw
thenr sonic small rhirids, such as .bawks’ bells and beads, in order
in resnro Ilium. ‘Iwo or mice of them, including Goac
a
ent to enter the boat
.maris cousin, hecan t ruiic ieiid v confid
and nec aboard the shep. Vbcii asked about the Christians,
these ens serial that they were eN deed, Although one of the
Indians who had conic w.ith us .Com ‘Caszi.le. liad reported
nun b 0 had learned tins horn th t we natives who b d conic
4
to p ve hip and remained aloneskIc in their canoe, we had nor
believed die story. C uawnnuri’s entin \ves asked who had
Lll d chum, I Ic replied huic onbo and K Inc :\Iayreni
and that they had. burnt down the village. He said that many
lunialis nad been Wonilden and that Guacaniarj himself had
a woun.d in the thigh and was at present at another village
when se proposed to go in medi.ately and call hi.m, .F:Ie was
civun Some preenis and departed tot tIn: place where Guaea
man was,
ii .ated all that day, and when is esaw that they were
not comin many of ‘us su.spectcd that the .iridian.s who had
done. .so on d:ie day betfiire .hat.i beeis drowned, because we had
.n them ieee or three glasses of wine and they had conic
i.n a small canoe ‘whif’h might easily ha ye overturned. Next
fhesc w’uuid luve been thrown alight to set fire to the straw rood;
,,.‘L...I.. S.,,,,S t’1t,O,
‘..,,.,.,.
..,,,‘,
‘
taLL.
A
T.fliE LETTER WRItTEN ,LIT D.’R C iiO.NC
nionting the Admiral and suite of’ us .Laded and went to the
site of the village. We. found it completely bucnt and the
Spaniards’ clothing lying on the grass. At that time, we dii
flut see any corpses.
Thcr are many opinic.tns among us. .Se,nae f us suspected
that Cuacaniari had taken part hlmlf in the benny al or
murder of the Ch.ristiaias. Others th.o.ught nor, since it was his
village that had been burnt down. Tle whole matter was
therefore extremely doubttul. The Admiral ordered that all
the ground within the Christians’ turtitieauons should be
searched, since he had instructed them to bury any quantities
of old they might obtain. I)uring this search he decided to
inspect a place about a league away which
.wcincd to us a
suitable site for a town, mice rite tune had now cenec to build.
Sonic of us went with him along the coast, exanuisiing the
iountry until we CaHC to a small village of seven or
houses which the Indians had abandoned ‘when they save us
coming. They had taken what they could and hidden the
rest of chuir possessions in the grass near them. Tiec p 5 pie
are so like animals that they have not the
intelligene.e find a
to
proper place to live. ‘1 hose who live on the seashore build in a
surprisingly pi irmtive yea’,. ihe houses there are so covered
with greell or damp that I ant astonished they’ surviv
In these houses sue found many posves1etms of the Clirnu.us,
which it. was incredible they should have ‘barterer1, among
rheum a very line Moot fllt cloak, vehicli had nor been enthided
since it had been bt’ht Coin Spata, and also stoekinas and
pieces of cloth and an anchor fr.nn the. ship which the Adn’nral
had lust there on th previous vodge and other rhinds which
greatly strengthene.d our suspicions. On examiniug the con
tents of a wicker basket which they Ld carefully ss n up aU
well concealed, we found the head of a man, carefitily wrap—
p ‘We concluded that this must he the head of a. father or
mother 01 of sonieonc whom they greatly loved. I have knce
i7
 1 HE LETTE1 55 hl{i EN 555 Hi-’. CSIANCA
s1:uai \orsuc i49--U

heard that many heads like this inve been found, from which I Guacamari was, and found him on his bed apparently sufidring
cs lade that our opinion at that time ss as correct. After this from a SCtiUus wound. They spoke with liim and asked about
returned. the Christians, and he answered, telling the sante story as
others, that it was Caunabo and Mayreni wino had killed
w

a S
.:•
51i iL j.LLL V.
t -U . 1-..-
LLV USC S i,1aC ow
,-.

ihenU and that they had svenuided him in the thigh, hidi he
-

hews and tound juan Ii in there •w 1 had ..gijned con

fidence a d wers bartering unld TI v had bartered almost a showed them bandaged. Seeing him in this state they believed
that his story was true, and when they left he gave to each a
.

cclv \ learnt tisat thea had pointed out where

e.ieven Christians lay covered with grass that had grown over golden jewel, small or great according to what he supposed to
tlo TLv ,li mid in tlcuah iwprecer that Caeisabo be thetr ilsiportance. These indians beat their gold into seep
and Ma yreni had ki.iId them, hut onsplained at the same time
thin sheets from which they make masks, setting it in bitumen
tLt n.e Christians had mken three or four women apiece,
which they prepare for the purpose. They couLd not make
their masks without it. They also shape gold to be worn as
troin Wiliell V. a cCneinded nyu tIn;5 ha been murdered out
head ornaments or in the ears or nose. It always has to be
of hadousy.
ext inornni, slilCe there was no suitable place mr a beaters thin, since they do not prize it as riches bLit only for it
5
ornamental uses. Guacamari intimated by signs as best he
settles sent anywhere p •th locality, the Admiral dispatched
a ci uIcV. here to look dr a sue, and took some of us could that because of his wounded state we must ask the
with him in another di.rection where we fonnd a very safe Admiral kindly to conic and seC him, and the indians told
bar boar SU1J very pleasant rret of land for a town. But as it this same story to the Admiral when he arrived.
Next morning the Airnirid decided to go to that village,
as cry far irons ch place where \ve wanted to be, w Lids
was near the goldheid, the Admiral decided not to make a which was about three leagues from svheee we were, but as the
journey would takejust under three hours it would have been
w:nleu:enr thr [ui in another ne..rer placO. asst.liliHe a suit-
dinner—time when we arrived, So we ate before landing, and
able sine might be found.
C. ..r retain e lOaOJ r.vd which Li salei
when we had finished the Admiral ordered that all the cap
tains should come in their boats to go ashore, since earhee in
in the opposite direction, with Me.iehier arid Cur or live
rnant men gs tFtc \vfli alone the cs .ast in search of a the morning before we set out Guacamari’s brother had
10 them v li two visited the Admiral urging him to hasten isis visit to Guaca—
pLie a unwe 12.10 LOIUC ow

marL The Admiral and all the chief officers landed so richly
witani-Ce

Indians, them Guac.amai Lrother, •wbo I’s was recog

dressed that thus could have graced a capital city. 1-Ic k

one of

Lv a pilot i-Lu ar.,’;el. Tine 0 era

h 5 aCeo
!nii,in

sonic presents, since he had already received a considerable

on

s
1
thes.hs and had bee.n toid They then
‘men of importance’.

amOunt of gold ftom Guacamari and it was right that he

in

said that Gnacatnari suvited chain to land and come to a

of .sosne .mifty noose s where he was staying . The. should respond to ibis demonstration ofgoodw ill. Gisacaniari
Spaniards landed j tue boat and went to the. place where had himself prepared a further present for the Adnriral and 011
our arrival we found hint stretched on his bed, which was ct
Mjehior .!vtaido.nasio, whu ha1 been sent an ilac expedition b the their native kind, made of woven cotton mesh and hung
sorereirtn.s Ferdinand and lsabeia,
‘49
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1)1
 TilE LETTER WRITTEN BY DR CHANCA
SECON.D V(.)YAGE : 1493—6

mh 1d that iiari had merely moved on to as holesome than those of Spain. Nevertheless the climate does
t:eie1n

.uz1u-rviI1aue, as \vs their custom.

not ilo ‘a’ of their being kept from one day to the next, for it
i hot itid damp and perishable fhc,ds quickly go bad. The soil
\Ve renldinLvi anchoreo there tlni Oar because the as eatilet
wu ,iiisi US. On the ntornuie of ide it day the Admiral is menu L vourabie for iH crops. At dos site there is One iviaifl
:aco ihr mice tile v.cather v a suit nirtavourablo tt would rtver and another of moderate size is hIt exireinela good
as ater.
be a good idea u. o and examine a harbour sonic two leagues
A town is being built beside the river and it stands mw
up the coast and see if it offered a su.it.ab.ie site for settlement..
mediately above the water at the top of a steep ravine, so
\Ve rowed there w.ith .all the boats, keeping close to the shore
that no defensive works are needed on this side, On the other
and leavmg the ships in harbour. There too the native.s wvre
apprel.ensive. On arriving we discovered that tile inhabitants side it is bounded by a forest so thick that a rabbit could hardly
get through. The forest is Si) green that it would be impossible
of the village had all fled, but ave found an Indian hidden in
to burr it at any time of year. They have begun to divert an
the undergrosv di with a gapIlig dart wound in his hack which
arm of the river which tite workmen say they will bring;
lied pie vented him from escaping any further. The Indians
through the centre of the toavn, and they intend to Islice
uf mis island fight vid darts which they shoot from slings
nulls and wateravheels on this channel and anytililig CIsC that
like those aa ith \Vli.iCli small boys shoot in Castile. They can
can be driven by water. They have son a many vegetables,
sheet both far and accurately, and for a people without iron
as inch grow more in eight days than ni tv. cnu in Spain.
v:euen they Can certainly do gre.Lt damage. 1 ins flUX sUlO
Many Inujans come here Continually, among them ran,liuc,t
tint he had hen wounded by Caunabo and his people and
who are, so to speak, their chieftains, ard lulaLiV avomer as
that they had burned Guacamari’s houses, Since we under’
well.
stood them so little and their equivocal statements were SO
They all bring yams, which are like turnips and very good
obscure, we have not yet be.en able to determine the truth
food, and we prepare theni for eating in a variety of ways
about the dea di of. our men, nor did we find a stitabie site.
They are so nourishing that ave are a 11 greatly restored by
.for a settlement near that harbour
them, for we have been living on the smallest possible rations
T.he Admiral de.cided tha.t we should return up the coast in
Jui in our months at sea. This was necessary, since we did nor
th.e direction from which we l•I conic because he. had news
as hat weather as e should meet or hoer long it svuuld
that theic ivas cold there. Bet the wotber was sO much against
ulease God that the a oyage should take. So it was
Us that to sail Lek thirty leagues was harder than to conic
prudent that ave should limit our consumption in Order to
trem (asrIie. Indeed, it was sO baLl and cue voyage so long
By God’s have enough to keep alive however ioug the voyage nsighr
tiiet it was a tust three nroinii re fore as e
fhe indians icr gold and provisions and all ilun they
will. avliich prevellted us going feriler, ave had to laud at the
best and most favoiaahlc site we cuLild find. Here there is a *
The town was called IsabeL, after the Queaa. it was abaudnad
very good harbour and large fisheries, of which we were in after too years in favour of Sante Donungo, and fell into ruins.
great need, owing to lack of meat. ‘[Thts word, Arawak in origin, was applied to chieftains throughout
Spanish America, though the word was proper to the West Indies alone.
in this country the fish are very strange to us and more
152. ‘53
 SECOND VOYAGE 1493—6
bring for tags of bces, beads, pins and bits of dishes and
rLst. Tlis >anz is called by the Caribs nabi and by the Indians
hajt’.
Allthepeoplegoaboutaslhavesaid,nakedastheir
ine.cl;..’rs bare them, except the women of this is6id, who
cov:r their private part ith oveii cotton winch they tie
round their hips or with grasses or die leaves of trees. Their
way of decoration is to paint their faces black, or red and
white, making thenisel es such sorrj sights that we cannot
help laughing at them. Their heads are partly shaved and
pardy covered with tangled locks in such a variety of patterns
that it is impossible to describe them. In fact, the best of them
delight to crop thenbelv.s in away that in Spain we vou1d
only crop a niadm.n. In their neighbourhood there .rc many
goldflelds, none of which, according to their reports, is more
than twenty or twenty-five leagues away. Seine are said to
be in Niii. in the territory of Caon.ibo, who killed the
Christians. Others are in another district called Cibau, and if
itisGod’spleasureweshallknowandseealltliesewithour
own :yes before many days have passed. We would make the
josney innv were it not for the tact that there are so many
things to be sn to that we cannot manage everything. For a
third of the people have fallen sick in the last four or five
da, most of them I think frsn hard work and the riguars
ox’ the voyage, and bee4use of dikferences of climate. But 1
trust God that all will recovet
These Indians seem so well disposed that they could be
converted if we had an interpreter, for they imitate every
thing that we do. They bend their knees at the altars, and at
the Ave Maria and other moments, and cross themselves.
They all say that they wish to be Christians, although actually
they are idoLters. There are idols of all kinds in their houses.
When I ask them what these are they answer that they be
long to Turey,thatistosayto thesky. lonce madeashow
154
THE LETTEt WRITTEN BY DR CHANCA
of wanting to throw these in the fire, which so upset them that
they were on the point of tears. They also think that whatever
we bring conies from the sky, for they call it all Tusq, that is
tosaysky.
The fIrst day on which I landed and slept ashore was Sun
day. Th short time that we have spent ashore has been
devoted rather to preparing our settlement and searching for
what we need than to exploring the land, but the little that
we have seen is marvellous. We have seen trees that bear very
fine wool. so fine that those who understand veaving say that
good cloth could be woven from it* These trees are so
numerous that the caravels could be fully laden with the wool,
though it is hard to gather, since they ,re very diony, bat
some means of doins so could easily be ieviseJ. Thei e is
an infinite amount of cotton growing on trees the size of
peach trees, and there are trees that bear vax the colour and
taste of’ bees wax .nd as good tot burmng. Indeed, it is not
very di&rcnt. There are a great numbec ox’ trees prOttLk’iiib
turpentine which are very remarkable and very fine; also
much tragacanth, which is very cood too, and sonic trees
‘which 1 think bear nutmegs but at present no fruit. I say I
think because the smeLl and taste of the bark is like that of nut—
megs. I saw a root of ginger, which an Indian had tied round
his neck. There is also aloe, and though not of a kind which
has hitherto been seen in our countn’ it is no doubt one of the
species used by doctors. A kind of cinnamon has been found
as well, though it is true that it is not so fine as the cinnamon
we knaw at home. This may be because we do not know
the right season to gather it, or pc..sibly there ..re better trees
in the land. Yellow mirabolansf have also been found, but
at the time they were lying beneath the tree and as the soil
is very damp they had gone rotten. They ta.ac very biiter, I
*Tth is the Cdlxi or silk coccua tat.
t’Hog plum.’
‘5$