The Admiral discovers the island of Cuba. What he
finds there
… ON the return of the ships they followed a westerly course and discovered another, larger river, which the Admiral named the Rio de Mares. It was a much better river than the last, since a ship could both enter and turn round in its mouth, and its banks were thickly peopled. But on seeing the ships the local inhabitants fled to the mountains. These were seen to be many and high, with rounded tops and covered with trees, and they had most pleasing vegetation. Here the Indians hid everything they could carry with them, and their timidity prevented the Admiral from learning the nature of the island. Considering that if he were to land with many men the people’s fear would increase, he chose two Christians, one of the Indians whom he had brought from the island of San Salvador and another, a native of Cuba, who had boldly rowed up to the ships in a small canoe. He gave them orders to go into the interior of the island and discover its character, treating any of its inhabitants they might meet on their way with friendship and courtesy. And in order that no time should be lost, the Admiral commanded that, while they were on their way, his ship should be brought ashore and caulked. They noticed that all the wood they used for the fires they needed for this job was from the almaciga trees, which grow in great quantity throughout the island. Both in leaf and fruit this tree is very similar to the mastic, but considerably larger.
The two Christians return and give an account of
what they have seen
ON 5 November, when the ship was caulked and ready to sail, the two Christians and the two Indians returned. They said that they had penetrated twelve leagues inland and found a village of fifty houses, all very large and built of wood with thatched roofs. These houses were round and tent-shaped like all the others they had seen. There must have been some thousands of inhabitants, since in each house lived all the members of a family. The chief men of the place came out to meet and welcome the Christians and carried them on their shoulders to their town, where they gave them a large house for their lodging. Here they made them sit down on some strangely shaped wooden seats in the form of animals with short fore- and rear-paws and tails slightly raised to support the back. For comfort this back support was as wide as the seat, and on the front was carved a head with eyes and ears of gold. They call these seats dujos or duchos. Having made our men sit down, all the Indians immediately sat on the ground around them, and then, one by one, came close to them to kiss their feet and hands, in the belief that they had come from the sky. The Indians gave them a meal of boiled roots, which tasted like chestnuts,* and begged them warmly to remain there with them, or at least to stay there and rest for five or six days. For the two Indians whom our men had brought with them as interpreters had spoken very highly of the Christians.
Shortly afterwards a great number of women came in to take a look at the Spaniards and the men went out. These women also kissed the strangers’ feet and hands in awe and wonder, as if they were holy objects, and proffered the presents they had brought.
When the Christians thought it was time to return to the ships many Indians wished to accompany them. But they would allow only the king with one of his sons and a servant to come, and the Admiral received them with great honour. The Christians told him that on the way there and back they had found many villages, in which they had been welcomed and treated with the same courtesy. But these villages or hamlets were no more than groups of five houses.
On the paths they had met a great number of people carrying burning coals in order to make fire with which to burn certain perfumed herbs that they had with them.* On this fire they also boiled those roots which were their staple food. The Spaniards had seen very great numbers of trees and plants that were not found on the sea coast, and a great variety of birds, very different from our own, although among them were partridges and nightingales. They had seen no four-footed animals except some dogs which did not bark. They had also seen many fields of the staple root, and of kidney-beans, and another kind of bean, also of a grain like panic-grass that the Indians call maize. This grain has a very good taste when cooked, either roasted or ground and made into a gruel.
They had a great abundance of cotton spun into balls, so much that a single house contained more than 12,500 lb of yarn. They do not plant it by hand, for it grows naturally in the fields like roses, and the plants open spontaneously when ripe, though not all at the same season. For on one plant they saw a half-formed pod, an open one, and another so ripe that it was falling. The Indians afterwards brought a great quantity of these plants to the ships, and would exchange a whole basket full for a leather tag. Strangely enough, none of the Indians made use of this cotton for clothing, but only for making their nets and beds - which they call hammocks - and for weaving the little skirts or cloths which the women wore to cover their private parts. When the Indians were asked if they had gold or pearls or spices, they answered by signs that there were great quantities of all three to the east in a land called Bohio* - the present-day Hispaniola, which they also called Babeque. But Columbus’s men did not clearly understand at that time what land they meant.
The Admiral ceases to follow the north coast of
Cuba, and turns on an eastward course for
the island of Hispaniola
WHEN he had heard this account, the Admiral did not wish to stay any longer in the Rio de Mares. He gave orders that a native of the island should be taken aboard, since he wished to bring to Castile one inhabitant of each country to give an account of its nature and products. So a dozen persons - men, women and children - were taken in a peaceful way, without noise or trouble. When the time came to sail away with them the husband of one of the women captives, and father of her two children who had been taken aboard with her, came to the ship in a canoe and begged by signs that he should be taken to Castile also, so as not to be separated from his wife and children. The Admiral was highly delighted by this man’s action and ordered that the whole family should be well treated and entertained.
On that same day, 13 November, he sailed on an eastern course, making for the island that the Indians called Babeque or Bohio. But owing to a very strong north wind he was compelled to anchor again off Cuba among some very tall islands lying close to a large harbour, which he called Puerto del Principe. He named the waters round these islands El Mar de Nuestra Señora. These were so numerous and so close together that they were not a quarter of a league apart. The majority of them in fact were within an arquebus shot of one another. The channels were so deep, however, and the shores so thickly wooded that it was a pleasure to sail between them, among the trees, which were very different from our own. They saw many almacigas* aloes, palms, with smooth green trunks, and several other kinds of tree.
Although these islands were uninhabited, there were remains of many fishermen’s fires on their shores. For as was afterwards observed bands of men come from Cuba in their canoes to visit these and countless other uninhabited islands near by, to feed on the fish they catch, and on birds, crabs and other things they find ashore. The Indians are accustomed to eating unclean things, such as large, fat spiders and white worms that breed among decayed wood and other rotting matter. They eat some fish almost raw, and immediately on catching them. Before they boil them they tear out their eyes and eat them on the spot. They eat many such things that would not only make any Spaniard vomit but would poison him if he tried them. They go on these hunting and fishing expeditions at fixed seasons, moving from one ground to another, like sheep in search of new pasturage when they grow tired of the old.
To return to these small islands in the Mar de Nuestra Senora, I will observe that on one of them the christians killed with their swords an animal resembling a badger and discovered many mother-of-pearl shells in the sea. When they cast their nets they found among their numerous and very diverse catch a fish shaped like a pig and entirely covered with a very thick hide except at the tail, which was soft. They noticed at the same time that in this sea and on the islands the tide rose higher and fell lower than anywhere they had been, and that these tides were the reverse of our own, for when the moon stood in the south-east, at its meridian, it was low water.
One of the caravels deserts the Admiral
…DURING that voyage [from Cuba to Hispaniola] Martin Alonso Pinzón received information from some Indians whom he was carrying as prisoners in his caravel that there was much gold in the island of Bohio (which, as we have said, was Hispaniola). Impelled by greed, on Wednesday, 21 November, he left the Admiral deliberately, not as a result of wind or currents. For the wind was behind him and he could easily have rejoined him, but did not wish to. On the contrary, pushing steadily on he made the greatest possible distance. His ship being very swift, he sailed all that Thursday and by nightfall had entirely disappeared, though up to then the ships had always sailed within sight of one another. The Admiral was now left with two ships, and since the winds prevented his crossing to Hispaniola he decided to return to Cuba to take on wood and water at a harbour not far from the Puerto del Principe [where he had anchored on first reaching Cuba], which he called Santa Catalina.
While they were drawing water, he saw by chance in the river some stones which showed traces of gold; and in this district were hills covered with pines so tall that masts could be cut from them for ships and carracks. There was timber also for planks, sufficient indeed for building as many new ships as they might want. There were also holm oaks and strawberry trees and others like those of Castile. Following the instructions of the Indians who directed him on his course to Hispaniola, the Admiral sailed ten or twelve leagues to the south-east along a shore abounding in very fine harbours and many beautiful rivers. The Admiral speaks so highly of the charm and beauty of this region that I cannot do better than quote his own words, describing his entry of a river which flows into a harbour called by him Puerto Santo.
‘When I brought the ships opposite the mouth of the harbour, which faces south, I found a river easily capable of taking a galley; and yet the entrance was so concealed that it could not be seen until we came very close. It was so beautiful that I was moved to go upstream if only for a ship’s length. I found a bottom from five to eight fathoms. Continuing upstream I pushed ahead for some time. The river was very cold and pleasant and the water very clear when we looked down at the sandy bottom. There were great numbers of palms of various kinds, the tallest and most beautiful that I have seen up to now, and there were also countless trees of other kinds, very large and green. The small birds and the greenness of the fields made me want to stay there for ever. This country, Most Serene Highnesses, is so enchantingly beautiful that it surpasses all others in charm and beauty as much as the light of day surpasses night. Very often I would say to my crew that however hard I tried to give your Highnesses a complete account of these lands my tongue could not convey the whole truth about them nor my hand write it down. I was so astonished at the sight of so much beauty that I can find no words to describe it. For in writing of other regions, their trees and fruit, their plants, their harbours and all their other features, I have wrongly used the most exalted language I knew, so that everyone has said that there could not possibly be another region even more beautiful. But now I am silent, only wishing that some other may see this land and write about it. When he sees the extreme beauties of this coast, he will then be able to prove himself more fortunate than I in the use and choice of words with which to describe it.
As the Admiral was going upstream in his boats he saw a canoe drawn up on shore under the trees beside the harbour and concealed by the branches. It was hollowed out of a single trunk and as large as a twelve-oared fusta* In some houses near by they found in two baskets hanging from a post a honeycomb and the head of a dead man and later in another house they found the same. Our men concluded that the head belonged to the builder of the house, but they did not find anyone from whom they could gain any information, for as soon as they saw the Christians the people fled from their houses and made for the other side of the harbour. The Spaniards afterwards found another canoe about seventy foot long capable of taking 150 men and also hollowed out of a single trunk.
The Admiral sails to Hispaniola; fast description
of the island
HAVING sailed 107 leagues along the coast of Cuba, the Admiral came to its eastern tip, which he named Alpha. He left here on Wednesday, 5 December, to cross to Hispaniola, which lay sixteen leagues eastwards. On account of some local currents he did not reach it till the following day, when he entered the harbour of San Nicolas, which he named after that saint on whose feast-day he discovered it. This is a very large and fine harbour, very deep and surrounded with many tall trees, but the land is rockier and away from the coast the trees are smaller. Among them are dwarf oaks, strawberry trees and myrtles like those of Spain. A very sluggish river flowed through the plain and out into the harbour; all about the harbour were large canoes as large as fifteen-oared fustas.
As the Admiral could not hold conversation with these people, he followed the coast northwards until he came to a harbour which he named Conception, which lies almost due south of a small island which he afterwards called Tortuga,* and which is about the same size as Grand Canary. Seeing that the island of Bohio is very large, and that its fields and trees are like those of Spain and that in a net that they had made the crew caught many fish like those of Spain - that is to say sole, skate, salmon, shad, dories, gilthead, conger, sardines and crabs - the Admiral decided to give the island a name related to that of Spain; and so on Sunday 9 December he called it Hispaniola.
Since everyone was very eager to know the nature of this island, while the sailors were fishing on the shore three Christians set out through the woods, where they met a group of Indians, naked like all those they had met before. As soon as these natives saw the Christians approaching them they ran in terror to the thickest of the woods unhindered by any cloaks or skirts. The Christians ran in pursuit hoping to have speech with them but were only able to catch one girl, who had a piece of flat gold hanging from her nose. When they brought her to the ships the Admiral gave her a number of small articles - trinkets and little bells. He then had her put ashore unharmed, sending three Indians whom he had brought from other islands and three Christians to accompany her to her village.
Next day he sent nine men ashore well armed, who found nine leagues away a village of more than a thousand houses scattered about a valley. When the inhabitants saw the Christians they all rushed out of the village and fled into the woods. But the Indian interpreter from San Salvador, who was with our men, went after them and shouted words of encouragement, saying much in praise of the Christians and affirming that they had come from the sky. The natives then returned reassured, and in awe and wonder they placed their hands on the heads of our men as a mark of honour and took them off to a feast, giving them everything they asked for without demanding anything in return. They begged them to stay that night in the village. But the Christians did not like to accept this invitation without first returning to the ships with news that the land was very pleasant and rich in Indian foods and that the people were fairer and handsomer than any they had seen so far on other islands; also that they were hospitable and well mannered. They said that the land where the Indians got their gold was further east.
On receiving this news the Admiral immediately had the sails raised, although the winds were most unfavourable. On Sunday, 16 December, therefore, they beat about between Hispaniola and Tortuga, and found a solitary Indian in a small canoe and were surprised that he had not sunk for the winds and seas were very high. They picked him up in the ship and took him to Hispaniola, where they put him ashore with many presents. This man told his fellow-natives of the Spaniards’ kindness, saying such fine things about them that many Indians came to the ship, but they carried nothing of value except some small pieces of gold hanging from their noses. On being asked where this gold came from, they indicated by signs that further on there were great quantities of it.
Next day a large canoe with forty men came from the island of Tortuga, near to where the Admiral was anchored. At that moment the cacique or lord of this part of Hispaniola was on the beach with his men bargaining over a piece of gold that he had brought. When he and his men saw the canoe they all sat down as a sign that they were unwilling to fight. Then nearly all the Indians leapt aggressively ashore and only the cacique got up to resist them. He sent them back to their canoe with threatening words. He then splashed them with water and picking up some stones from the beach hurled them at the canoe.
When they had all, with apparent obedience, returned to their canoe, the cacique picked up a stone and handed it to a servant of the Admiral, requesting him to throw it at the canoe to show that the Admiral was on his side against the Indians, but the servant didn’t succeed in hitting it, for the canoe put off very quickly. After this, speaking on the subject of the island which the Admiral had named Tortuga, the cacique said that there was much more gold there than in His paniola, and greater quantities still on Babeque which was fourteen days’ journey away.
The overlord of this island comes to the ships with
great ceremony
ON Tuesday, 18 December, the king who had arrived on the previous day at the same moment as the canoe from Tortuga, and whose village was five leagues from the spot where the ships were anchored, came down to the village on the coast just before midday. Some men from the ships were also there, whom the Admiral had sent ashore to see if they could find any great signs of gold. On seeing the king’s approach they went to tell the Admiral, saying that he had more than 200 men with him and that he was not walking but was carried most ceremoniously in a litter by four bearers, although he was quite a young man. On arriving near the anchorage the king rested for a little and then went over to the ships with all his men. Describing this visit in his log-book, the Admiral writes:
‘Your Highnesses would certainly think well of his state and the respect paid him, although they all go naked. On coming aboard he found me at table dining beneath the forecastle and politely came to sit beside me, refusing to let me get up to receive him or even to rise from the table but insisting that I should go on eating. On coming into the cabin he signed to his men that they should go outside, which they speedily did, with all the respect in the world. They all sat down on deck, except for two men of ripe age who were I supposed his counsellors and guardians and who sat at his feet. I thought that he would like to eat some of our food and immediately ordered him to be served with some. Of each dish that was placed before him he ate only a mouthful, sending the rest out to his men who all ate. He did the same with the drink, which he only carried to his lips and then sent to the others. All this was done with marvellous ceremony and very few words. All that he said, so far as I can understand, was very clear and sensible. These two counsellors watched him with great respect and spoke for him and with him. When he had eaten, one of his attendants brought a belt like those of Castile in form but differently made, and presented it to me with two pieces of worked gold which were so thin that I think they had very little of it, although I believe they are very near the place from which it comes and where there is a great deal. I noticed that he admired a cushion that I had on my bed and gave it to him and some very fine amber beads that I wore round my neck; also some red slippers and a glass bottle of orange-flower water, and he was marvellously delighted.
‘He and his counsellors were extremely sorry that they could not understand me, nor I them. Nevertheless I understood him to say that if there was anything I wanted, the whole island was at my disposal. I sent for a wallet of mine in which I keep, as a memorial, a gold coin bearing the portraits of your Highnesses and showed it to him, saying, as I had done on the previous day, that your Highnesses were lords and rulers of the greater part of the world and that no princes were greater. I showed him the royal banners and the banners of the cross, which he greatly admired. He said to his counsellors that your Highnesses must be very great princes, since you had sent me fearlessly from so far away in the sky to this place. Other conversation took place between them of which I could understand nothing except that they were clearly most astonished by everything.
‘When it was late and he wished to return I sent him most ceremoniously ashore in the boat and ordered many lombards to be fired. When he came to the beach he mounted his litter and went off with more than 200 men, and one of his sons was carried on the shoulders of a very important chief. He gave orders that food should be given to all the sailors and to other men from the ships whom he found ashore, and that they should be treated with great kindness. Afterwards, a sailor who had met him on the road told me that all the presents I had given him were carried before him by a principal chieftain and that his son did not go with him, but followed behind with a number of other men. He added that one of his brothers went on foot with an almost equal retinue, leaning on the shoulders of two attendants. I had given this man also some small present when he had come down to the ships following his brother.’
Columbus loses his ship in the shallows through the
carelessness of some sailors. He receives help from
the king of the island
To continue this narrative of the Admiral’s adventures, on 24 December there was a great calm, with no wind except a slight breeze that blew from the sea from Santo Tomas to Punta Santa, off which he lay at the distance of about a league. At the end of the first watch, which would have been an hour before midnight, the Admiral went down to rest, for he had not slept for two days and a night. Because of the calm, the steersman left the helm to one of the ship’s boys. ‘I had forbidden this,’ says the Admiral, ‘from the beginning of the voyage. I had ordered that whether there was a wind or not the helm should never be entrusted to a boy. To tell the truth I considered myself safe from shoals and reefs, because on Sunday, when I had sent the boats ashore to the king, I had passed some three and a half leagues east of Punta Santa and the sailors had seen the whole coast, and the rocks which run three leagues from east to south-west from Punta Santa, and they had also seen the passage by which they could enter. I had never done this at any time in the voyage, and by God’s will at midnight, when I was lying in my bed, in a dead calm with the seas as smooth as water in a bowl, everyone went below, leaving the rudder to a boy.
‘Thus it happened that a gentle current carried the ship on to one of those rocks, which could have been detected even in the night because the water breaking over them could be heard a full league away. The boy then, feeling and hearing the rudder scrape, began to shout; I was the first to hear him and quickly got up for I realized before anyone else that we had run on the reef. Almost immediately the ship’s master, whose watch it was, came up. I told him and the other sailors to get in the boat which was towing astern and take the anchor aboard and kedge her off by the stern. The master and a number of sailors duly got into the boat, and I thought that they were carrying out my orders. But they rowed on, making all haste to the caravel which lay half a league away. When I saw that they were saving themselves in the boat and that the tide was falling and the ship in danger, I had the main mast cut away to lighten her as much as possible and see if we could pull her off. But the tide dropped still further and the ship would not move and lay rather more athwart the seas. New seams now opened and the whole hull filled with water. Then the Niña’s boat came to help me. The master of the caravel had refused to take on board the sailors who had fled in the Santa Maria’s boat and it was therefore compelled to return to the ship.
‘But I could see no way of saving the Santa Maria, so I departed for the Niña in order to save my men, for the wind was now blowing off the land and night was almost over, and we did not know how to pull off those rocks. I remained on the caravel until day and as soon as it was light went back to the ship, rowing inside the shoal. Before this I had sent the boat ashore with Diego de Araña of Cordoba, the officer responsible for discipline in the fleet, and Pedro Gutierrez, your Highnesses’ steward, to inform the king of what had happened, saying that on coming to visit him at his village, as he had asked me to on the previous Saturday, I had lost my ship on a reef a league and a half offshore. On hearing the news the king wept, showing great sorrow at our disaster. Then he sent all the inhabitants of the village out to the ship in many large canoes. Thus we began to unload her and in a very short time we had cleared the decks. Such was the help that this king gave us. After this, he himself, with his brothers and relations, did everything they could both in the ship and on shore to arrange things for our comfort. And from time to time he sent various of his relatives to implore me not to grieve, for he would give me everything he had.
‘I assure your Highnesses that nowhere in Castile would one receive such great kindness or anything like it. He had all our possessions brought together near his palace and kept them there until some houses had been emptied to receive them. He appointed armed men to guard them and made them watch right through the night. And he and everyone else in the land wept for our misfortune as if greatly concerned by it. They are so affectionate and have so little greed and are in all ways so amenable that I assure your Highnesses that there is in my opinion no better people and no better land in the world. They love their neighbours as themselves and their way of speaking is the sweetest in the world, always gentle and smiling. Both men and women go naked as their mothers bore them; but your Highnesses must believe me when I say that their behaviour to one another is very good and their king keeps marvellous state, yet with a certain kind of modesty that is a pleasure to behold, as is everything else here. They have very good memories and ask to see everything, then inquire what it is and what it is for.’
The Admiral decides to make a settlement at this
king’s village and calls his settlement Navidad
ON Wednesday, 26 December, the chief king of the country came to the Admiral’s caravel, showing great sorrow and grief. He comforted the Admiral, generously offering him any of his possessions that it would please him to receive. He said that he had already given the Christians three houses in which they could put everything that they had rescued from the ship; and he would have given them many more if they had required them. At this moment a ship arrived with Indians from another island, bringing some sheets of gold to barter for bells which they value above everything else. Sailors also arrived from the shore saying that many Indians were coming into the village from other places bringing gold objects which they were exchanging for tags and other such things of small value and offering to bring more gold if the Christians wanted it. When the great cacique saw that the Admiral liked gold he promised to have a great quantity bought to him from Cibao, the place that had the most.
He then prepared to go ashore, inviting the Admiral to a feast of sweet potatoes and yucca, which are their principal foods, and giving him some masks with eyes and large ears of gold and other beautiful objects which they wore round their necks. He then complained about the Caribs, who captured his people and took them away to be eaten, but he was greatly cheered when the Admiral comforted him by showing him our weapons and promising to defend him with them. But he was much disturbed by our cannon, which so frightened all the Indians that they fell down like dead men when they heard them fired.
On receiving such kindnesses and such samples of gold from these people the Admiral almost forgot his grief for the loss of the ship, for he considered that God had allowed it to be wrecked in order that he should make a settlement and leave some Christians behind to trade and gather information about the country and its inhabitants, learning their language and entering into relations with the people. Thus, when the Admiral returned with reinforcements, he would have people to advise him in all matters respecting the occupation and conquest of the country. He was the more inclined to this by the fact that many of the crew said that they would gladly remain behind and offered to make a settlement in this place. He therefore decided to construct a fort from the timbers of the wrecked ship, which had been stripped of everything that could possibly be useful.
He was greatly assisted in this by the news that came next day, Thursday, 27 December, that the caravel Pinta was lying in the river, towards the eastern point of the island. In order to make certain of this, he ordered the cacique whose name was Guacanagari to provide a canoe with some Indians to take a Spaniard to this place. When this man had gone twenty leagues down the coast he turned back, bringing no news of the Pinta. Consequently another Indian who claimed to have seen the caravel some days before was not believed. Nevertheless the Admiral did not halt his arrangements for leaving some Christians in this place. Everyone knew the goodness and fertility of this land, since the Indians were offering our men many gold masks and objects and giving them information about various districts in the island where they found gold.
When the Admiral was on the point of departure, he made a treaty with the king regarding the Caribs, of whom he complained so much and was in such real terror. In order that he should be pleased to have the Christians’ company and also to inspire him with fear of our weapons, lombard fired at the side of the Santa Maria, the ball passed right through the ship and fell in the water, and the king was both horrified and amazed. The Admiral also showed him our other weapons, how wounds were made with some and others used for defence, and told him that with such weapons to protect him he need no longer fear the Caribs, because the Christians would kill them all. The Admiral said that he was leaving these Christians to defend him and would himself go back to Castile to fetch jewels and other things, which he would bring him back as presents. He then begged him to be friendly to Diego de Araña, son of Rodrigo de Araña of Córdoba, who has already been mentioned. He left this man, Pedro Gutierrez, and Rodrigo de Escobedo in command of the fort with thirty-six men and many goods and provisions, arms and artillery, and the ship’s boat, with carpenters, caulkers, and all other persons necessary for a settlement, that is to say a doctor, a gunner, a tailor and such like.
The Admiral then made careful preparations for a direct return journey to Castile. He decided to make no further explorations, since he now had only one ship and if this were wrecked their Catholic sovereigns would have no knowledge of these kingdoms which he had just acquired for them.
The Admiral sails for Castile and meets the other
caravel with Pinzón
ON Friday, 4 January, at sunrise, the Admiral raised sail with his helm set north-west, in order to avoid the rocks and shoals that lie off that coast, leaving the Christian settlement which he had called Puerto de la Navidad (Christmas Harbour), in commemoration of that day on which he had escaped the perils of the sea and reached land to make the beginnings of this settlement. These rocks and shoals stretch for six leagues from Cabo Santo to Cabo de la Sierpe, and run more than three leagues out to sea. The whole coast runs from north-west to south-east and the beach and coastal plain extend for four leagues inland. Behind He high mountains and great numbers of large villages, more numerous and larger than on other islands.
He then sailed towards a high mountain, which he named Monte Christi, which is eighteen leagues east of Cabo Santo. Therefore anyone wishing to sail to the town of Navidad, after sighting Monte Christi, which is rounded like a bell tent and appears to be a detached rock, will have to stand two leagues out to sea and sail westward at that distance from the coast, until he comes to Cabo Santo. He will then be five leagues from the town of Navidad and will enter through certain channels which thread the shoals lying before it. The Admiral thought fit to mention these details in order that men should know the position of the first Christian town and settled country in the western world.
When the Admiral had passed Monte Christi, sailing eastwards against contrary winds, on the morning of Sunday, 6 January, a caulker sighted from the main top the caravel Pinta sailing westwards with the wind behind her. When she came up to the Niña her captain, Martin Alonso Pinzón, immediately went aboard the Admiral’s ship and began to explain why he had left him, inventing various excuses and false arguments. He said that he had not wished to do so but had been unable to avoid it. Although the Admiral knew that this was untrue and that Pinzón’s intentions were dishonest and remembered the liberties he had taken on many occasions during the voyage, he concealed his thoughts and accepted these excuses in order not to imperil the whole enterprise. For all might easily have been lost, since the majority of the men in the Admiral’s ship were compatriots of Martin Alonso - many of them indeed being his relatives.
The truth is that when Pinzón left the Admiral in the island of Cuba, he sailed with the intention of going to the island of Babeque, where the Indians on his caravel told him there was much gold. On arriving at that island he discovered that what they told him was untrue and returned to Hispaniola, where other Indians had assured him there was much gold. This voyage had taken him twenty days and he had got no further than a small river fifteen leagues east of Navidad, which the Admiral had named Rio de Gracia. There Martin Alonso had stayed for sixteen days and had acquired much gold, in the same way that the Admiral had got it at Navidad - by exchanging it for articles of small value. Pinzón had divided half this gold among the men of his caravel in order to win their favour and leave them happy and satisfied that he as captain should keep the rest. And he afterwards tried to persuade the Admiral that he had no knowledge of any gold.
The Admiral continued on his course to anchor near Monte Christi, since the winds prevented his going any further. He took the boat up a river south-east of the mountain and found in its sand many samples of gold grains, and for this reason he called it the Rio del Oro. It lies sixteen leagues east of Navidad, and is rather smaller than the river Guadalquivir at Cordoba.
In the Gulf of Samana in Hispaniola the first
brush takes place between Indians and Christians
ON Sunday, 13 January, at Cabo Enamarado, which is in the Gulf of Samana in Hispaniola, the Admiral sent the boat ashore. On the beach our men met some fierce-looking Indians whose bows and arrows showed that they were prepared for war. These Indians were greatly excited and also alarmed. Nevertheless our men began a parley with them and bought two bows and some arrows. With great difficulty one of the Indians was persuaded to come out to the caravel and speak with the Admiral, to whom he made a speech as fierce as his appearance. These Indians were much fiercer than any we had seen before. Their faces were blackened with charcoal in the manner of all these peoples, whose habit it is to paint themselves either black, white or red in a variety of patterns. They wore their hair very long and caught back in a little net of parrot feathers.
When this man stood before the Admiral naked as his mother bore him, as were all the natives of these islands that we had so far discovered, he spoke in the proud language common to all peoples in these regions. The Admiral, believing he was one of the Caribs and that this gulf was the boundary dividing them from the rest of Hispaniola, asked him where the Caribs lived. He pointed eastwards, signifying that they lived on the other islands, on which there were pieces of guanin - that is to say gold of poor quality - as large as the prow of the ship, and that the island of Matinino was entirely populated by women, on whom the Caribs descended at certain seasons of the year; and if these women bore sons they were entrusted to the fathers to bring up. These answers to our questions he gave us by signs and in a few words that were understood by the Indians we had brought from San Salvador. The Admiral ordered that he should be given food and some small presents - glass beads and green and red cloth. He then had him put ashore to obtain gold for us, if the other Indians had any.
When the boat beached it was met by fifty-five Indians who were hiding in the trees, all naked, and with long hair tied back like that of women in Castile. Behind their heads they wore tufts of the feathers of parrots and other birds. They were all armed with bows and arrows. When our men leapt ashore the Indian made his fellow-natives put down their bows and arrows and the great clubs they carried instead of swords, for, as I have said, they have no iron of any sort. Once ashore, the Christians began, on the Admiral’s instructions, to buy bows and arrows and other weapons. But when the Indians had traded them two bows, they not only refused to sell any more but with a show of contempt seemed about to take the Spaniards prisoners; they picked up the bows and arrows they had laid down and also cords with which to tie our men’s hands. But our men were on guard and, though only seven in number, on seeing the Indians dash forward attacked them with great courage, wounding one with a sword thrust in the buttocks and another with an arrow in the chest. Surprised by our men’s coinage and by the wounds dealt by our weapons, the Indians took to flight, leaving most of their bows and arrows on the ground. Certainly many of our men would have been killed if the pilot of the caravel whom the Admiral had put in charge of the boat and those in it had not come to their rescue and saved them.
This brush did not displease the Admiral, who was certain that these Indians were some of the Caribs of whom the other natives were so afraid, or were at least their neighbours. They are a bold and courageous people, as can be seen from their looks and weapons and also from their deeds, and the Admiral thought that when the islanders learnt what seven Christians could do against fifty-five very fierce Indians of that region, our men whom he had left in Navidad would be more highly respected and esteemed and no one would dare to annoy them. Later in the day the Indians made bonfires in the fields as a show of bravery, for the boat had returned to see what their mood was, but there was no way of gaining their confidence and so the boat put back.
The Indians’ bows are of yew and almost as stout as those of the French and English, and the arrows are made of the shoots produced by the cane at the point where the seeds grow. These are thick and very straight and a yard and a half long. They tip them with a stick about a foot long, sharpened and hardened in the fire. In the point they insert a fish bone or tooth which they dip in poison. On account of this engagement the Admiral named this gulf, which the Indians call Samana, Golfo de las Flechas (Gulf of the Arrows). In the bay much fine cotton could be seen, and a long fruit rounded at one end which is their pepper. This is very hot. Near the beach in shallow water a great deal of that weed was growing which they had found floating on the ocean sea. They had been right in supposing that it grew near land, was uprooted when ripe and carried a great distance by the sea currents.
The Admiral sets out for Castile and the caravel
Pinta is separated from the Niña by a great storm
ON Wednesday, 16 January 1493, the Admiral left the Golfo de las Flechas in good weather, on a course for Castile. Both caravels let much water and the crews had great trouble in keeping them afloat. The last point of land to disappear from sight was the Cabo de San Telmo, twenty leagues to the north-east. They saw much weed as before, and twenty leagues further on they found the sea almost covered with small tunny fish, of which they also saw great numbers on the two following days, 19 and 20 January. After this they saw many sea-birds. The weed was continually moving from east to west with the current, and they already knew that it takes this weed a very long way. However, it does not always follow the same course but sometimes drifts one way, sometimes another. They met it every day until they had gone almost half-way across the ocean.
They sailed on their course with favourable winds and at such a speed that on 9 February the pilots thought that they had reached a point south of the Azores. But the Admiral said that they were 150 leagues short of this, and this proved correct, for they were still meeting many strands of seaweed which they had not found on their voyage to the islands until they had gone 263 leagues west of the island of Hierro.
As they sailed on in good weather, the winds began to increase from day to day and the seas to rise so high that they had great difficulty in weathering them. In the night of Thursday, 14 February, they were compelled to run with the wind. And as the caravel Pinta was less able to withstand the seas than the Niña, Pinzón had to follow a northward course, driven by a south wind, while the Admiral continued northeast on the direct route for Spain. Owing to the darkness of the night, the Pinta could not rejoin the Admiral, although he kept his lantern lit, and at daybreak the two ships had lost one another, and the crew of each thought that the other had sunk. Resorting to prayers and devotions, therefore, the Admiral’s crew vowed that one of them should make a pilgrimage on behalf of the rest to Our Lady of Guadalupe and cast lots to decide who it should be. The lot fell on the Admiral. After this they vowed a further pilgrimage to our Lady of Loreto and the lot fell on a sailor of the Santa Maria from Santona, called Pedro de la Villa. They then cast lots for a third pilgrimage to make a vigil in the church of Santa Clara de Moguer, and the lot for this also fell on the Admiral. The storm, however, grew fiercer and everyone on the ship made a vow to walk barefoot and in their shirts to offer up a prayer on the first land they came to in any church dedicated to the Virgin. Apart from these general vows many of the men also made private ones.
For now the storm was very high and the Admiral’s ship had great difficulty in withstanding it through lack of ballast, which had grown less as their provisions were consumed. To increase their ballast they conceived the idea of filling all the barrels that were empty with seawater, which was some help. It enabled the ship to stand up better to the storm and reduced its great danger of capsizing. The Admiral described this great storm in these words:
‘I should have had less difficulty in withstanding this storm if I had only been in personal danger, since I know that I owe my life to my Supreme Creator and He has so many times before saved me when I have been near to death that actually to die would hardly have cost me greater suffering. But what caused me infinite pain and grief was the thought that after it had pleased the Lord to inspire me with faith and assurance to undertake this enterprise, in which he had now granted me success, at the very moment when my opponents would have been proved wrong and your Highnesses would have been endowed by me with glory and increase of your high estate, the Lord might choose to prevent all this by my death.
‘Even this would have been more bearable if death were not also to fall on all those whom I had taken with me, promising them a most prosperous outcome to the voyage. Finding themselves in such terrible danger, they not only cursed their weakness in coming but also my threats and forceful persuasion which had many times prevented them from turning back, despite their resolution to do so. In addition to all this, my grief was increased by the thought that my two sons, whom I had placed as students at Cordoba, would be left without resources in a foreign land, and that I had not performed, or at least proved that I had performed, my services in such a way that I could hope your Highnesses would be mindful of them. I was comforted by my faith that Our Lord would not allow a project for the exaltation of His Church, which I had carried out in the face of such opposition and dangers, to remain incomplete and myself to be ruined. Yet I thought that on account of my demerits and so that I should not enjoy so much glory in this world, it was perhaps His pleasure to humiliate me.
‘In this perplexity I thought of your Highnesses’ good fortune which, even were I to die and my ship be lost, might find a means of turning the victory I had gained to your advantage, and that in some way the success of my voyage might become known to you. Therefore I wrote a parchment, as brief as the exigencies of the time required, saying how I had discovered these lands that I had promised to you and in how many days and by what course I had reached them. I described the goodness of the country, the manners of its inhabitants whom I had made subjects to your Highnesses, taking possession of all the lands I had discovered. I closed and sealed this letter and addressed it to your Highnesses, undertaking the cost of carriage, that is to say promising a thousand ducats to the man who should present it to your Highnesses unopened. My purpose was that if some foreigner should find it he would be too anxious to obtain the reward to open it and master its contents. I then sent for a large cask and, after wrapping this parchment in cloth and enclosing it in a cake of wax, placed the parcel in the cask. The hoops were then secured and the cask thrown into the sea, all the sailors supposing that this was in fulfilment of some vow. And since I thought it possible that this cask would not be picked up and the ships were still following their course towards Castile, I prepared another similar package and placed it in another cask at the highest point of the prow, so that were the ship to sink it should float on the waves and be carried wherever the storm might take it.’
The Admiral reaches the Azores* and the people
of Santa Maria seize the boat and its crew
As they sailed on in such great danger from the storm, at dawn on Friday, 15 February, one Ruy Garcia of Santona saw from the main mast land to the east-north-east. The pilots and sailors thought that it was Cintra in Portugal. But the Admiral insisted that they were at the Azores, and this was one of the islands, and although they were not far offshore they were unable to reach land that day on account of the storm. Being compelled to beat about since the wind was in the east, they lost sight of the first island and saw another, under the lee of which they ran to shelter from a strong crosswind and bad weather. Despite their hard and continuous labours, however, they were unable to make land. The Admiral writes in his log-book:
‘On the night of Saturday, 16 February, I reached one of these islands, but could not tell which on account of the storm. I rested a little that night, for I had not slept since Wednesday or even been to bed and my legs were crippled by continuous exposure to the high winds and seas, and I was suffering from hunger also. When I anchored on Monday morning I immediately learnt from the inhabitants that this island was Santa Maria in the Azores. They were all astonished at my escape from this tremendous storm which had been blowing for fifteen days continuously.’
When the inhabitants were told of the Admiral’s discoveries they put up a show of rejoicing, appeared to be greatly delighted, and gave thanks to Our Lord. Three of them came to the ship with some food and the compliments of the captain of the island, who was away in the town. All that could be seen in this place was a hermit’s chapel, which as they were informed was dedicated to the Virgin. When the Admiral and his crew remembered that on the previous Thursday they had vowed to walk barefoot in their shirts to some church of the Virgin in the first land they came to, they all thought that they should fulfil their vow here, where the people and the captain of the island showed our men such great love and sympathy, in the territory of the king who was such a friend to the Catholic sovereigns of Castile. The Admiral therefore asked these three men to go to the town and summon the chaplain who had the key of this hermitage to say a mass for them. These three consequently got into the ship’s boat with half the ship’s crew who were to begin the performance of the vow; and when they had done, the other half were to go ashore after them to complete it.
When the first boatload had come to land, barefoot and in their shirts, in fulfilment of their vow, the captain and many of the town’s inhabitants, who were lying hidden in an ambush, surprised them and made them prisoner. They took away the boat, certain that without it the Admiral would not escape capture.
The Admiral encounters another storm and recovers
the boat and crew
WHEN it first struck the Admiral that his men were remaining rather long on shore (for it was now midday and they had landed at dawn) he supposed that they had met with some accident, either on sea or shore. Since from the place where he had anchored he could not see the hermitage to which they were going, he decided to move the ship to a point from which the church was visible. When he came close to land he saw many horsemen dismount and get into the boat with the intention of attacking and taking the caravel. Fearing the probable result of their attack, the Admiral ordered his men to take up their positions and their weapons, but to show no signs that they intended to put up a defence, so that the Portuguese might then approach in all boldness. The Portuguese came on to meet the Admiral and when they were close their captain stood up and asked for a safe conduct. The Admiral agreed in the belief that they would come aboard, in which case, despite the safe conduct, he would have seized the boat and its crew and held them as surety for his own wrongly seized boat and men. But the Portuguese captain was not bold enough to come closer than hailing distance.
The Admiral told him that he was astounded at the strange state of affairs: none of his men had returned to their boat, although they had landed under safe conduct, encouraged by promises of gifts and help; and what was more the Portuguese captain had sent him his compliments. The Admiral further begged him to consider that not only was he behaving in a most unfriendly way and violating the laws of chivalry, but was also greatly offending the King of Portugal whose subjects were welcomed in the lands of his lords, the Catholic sovereigns, where they were treated with great courtesy and could land and remain ashore without safe conduct in as complete security as if they were in their own city of Lisbon. He added that their Highnesses had given him letters of recommendation to all the lords and princes and nations of the world, which he would have shown to him if he had come close; and if these letters were honoured in distant parts, he said, where he and all their Highnesses’ subjects were favourably received, there was far greater reason why they should be welcomed and aided in Portugal, whose princes were the kindred and neighbours of his own lords. For he was their chief Admiral of the Ocean and Viceroy of the Indies, which he had just discovered. In proof of this he offered to show them his appointment, signed in their royal names and sealed with their seals. Indeed, he did show him these documents from a distance and assured him he could come closer without fear, since the Catholic sovereigns and the King of Portugal were at peace and friendly, and his sovereigns had instructed him to show all possible respect and courtesy to any Portuguese ships he might meet. The Admiral added that even if the Portuguese captain persisted in his discourtesy and refused to release his crew, this would not prevent his going on to Castile, for he still had enough men on board to sail the ship to Seville, and to attack him also if it should prove necessary, for he had given him due cause and he would be to blame for any punishment he received. Moreover, his own king would probably punish him too for precipitating war between himself and the Catholic sovereigns.
The captain and his men replied that they did not acknowledge the King and Queen of Castile, or their letters, and that he was not afraid of them but would show them the might of Portugal. This reply made the Admiral think and fear that since his departure from Spain some rupture or quarrel had occurred between the two kingdoms. Nevertheless he decided to answer the captain as his rashness deserved. Finally, as he drew away, the Portuguese captain stood up and shouted to the Admiral that he must bring the caravel into port, since all his own actions had been on the written instructions of his king and lord. When he heard this the Admiral called on everyone in the caravel to witness, and in answer to the Portuguese captain he swore he would not leave the caravel until they had captured a hundred Portuguese, whom they would take home as prisoners, and had depopulated the island. Having said this, he returned to anchor in the harbour where he had been before, since the wind made it impossible for him to do anything else.
But next day, the wind increased greatly and made his anchorage impossible; he lost his anchors and had no alternative but to raise sail for the island of San Miguel. As he could not anchor here, however, because the storm was still blowing fiercely, he decided to wait with furled sails, though still in very great danger, both from the sea, which was very rough, and because he had only three sailors and a few ship’s boys on board, all the rest of his men being on shore except the Indians, who had no skill in working sails or rigging. But himself performing the work of the absent crew, he passed the night in hard work and no little danger. And when day came, he found that he had lost sight of the island of San Miguel and that the weather had somewhat improved. So he decided to return to the island of Santa Maria, to see if he could rescue his crew, his anchors and the boat. He reached San Miguel on Thursday evening, 21 February.
Shortly after his arrival, a boat came with five sailors and a notary, and trusting in the Admiral’s safe conduct they all went aboard the caravel, where, since it was now late, they slept the night. Next morning they said that they had been sent by the captain to make certain where the caravel had come from and under what circumstances and if it was sailing with the King of Castile’s commission. For if he was truthfully informed of these facts he was prepared to pay the Admiral all respect. This change of mind was caused by the fact that he now saw clearly that they could not take the ship or capture the Admiral, and that they might be made to suffer for what they had done.
Disguising his feelings, the Admiral answered that he thanked the captain for his courtesy and his kind offer and since what he asked of him was no more than common custom at sea, he was prepared to accede to his demands. He therefore showed the notary his general letter of recommendation from the Catholic sovereigns, addressed to all their subjects and to other princes, and also the order and commission they had given him to make this voyage. When the Portuguese had seen these documents, they returned ashore satisfied and promptly restored the boat and the sailors, from whom the Admiral learnt that, according to reports on the island, the King of Portugal had ordered his subjects to take the Admiral prisoner by any means they could.
The Admiral leaves the Azores and sails through
bad weather to Lisbon
ON Sunday, 24 February, the Admiral sailed for Castile from the island of Santa Maria, very short of ballast and firewood, which he had been unable to obtain on account of the bad weather. The wind, however, was favourable for his voyage, yet when he was a hundred leagues from the nearest land a swallow came to the boat which had, it was believed, been driven out to sea by bad weather. This belief was very soon confirmed, for next day, 28 February, they met many more swallows and land-birds; and also saw a whale.
On 3 March they encountered such a fierce storm that shortly after midnight their sails were torn away. Then, in great danger of their fives, they made a vow to send a pilgrim barefoot and in his shirt to the Virgin of the Girdle, whose church is at Huelva. The lot once more fell on the Admiral, perhaps to show that of all the vows made to Our Lord the Admiral’s were most welcome; in addition to this vow, many private vows were made also.
As they ran before the wind without an inch of sail and with bare masts, in a terrible sea and high winds, the whole sky was rent with thunder and lightning. Any one of these horrors seemed likely to send the ship to destruction. But the Lord was pleased to show them land just before midnight. Another danger confronted them. To avoid running on a reef, where they would certainly be shattered, they had to raise a little sail, saving themselves in this way from the storm. When God was pleased to show them day and dawn broke, they saw that they were near the rock of Cintra, on the coast of the Kingdom of Portugal.
Here the Admiral found himself compelled to come to land, in great fear and dread of the local inhabitants and the sailors of that coast, who ran up from all directions to see this ship which had miraculously escaped from the cruel storm, for they had heard news of many ships which had sunk in the last few days on course for Flanders and elsewhere.
Sailing up the Tagus on 4 March, the Admiral anchored near Rastelo and very quickly sent a message to the Catholic sovereigns to announce his arrival. He also wrote to the King of Portugal requesting permission to anchor near the city, for the place where he then lay was not safe against anyone who might decide to attack him on the treacherous pretext or excuse that he had received orders to do so from the King himself, in the belief that by harming the Admiral he could impair the victory of the King of Castile.
The people of Lisbon come out to see the Admiral and to marvel
at him. The Admiral visits the King of Portugal
ON Tuesday, 5 March, the master* of the large ship which the King of Portugal kept at Rastelo to guard the harbour came in his armed boat to inform the Admiral that he must accompany him to give an account of his presence to the ministers of the King, as was the custom for any ship reaching Lisbon. The Admiral replied that an admiral of the Kings of Castile, which he was, was not obliged to go where anyone summoned him and must not, under pain of death, leave his ship to lodge such information; and that he was resolved to act accordingly. The Portuguese officer said that he might at least send his ship’s master. But the Admiral replied that he considered it the same thing if he were only to send a boy and that it would be useless to ask him to send anyone from his ship.
On hearing the boldness of the Admiral’s argument, the Portuguese officer answered that in order to confirm that he came in the names of the Kings of Castile and as their subject, the Admiral might at least show him his patents, which would be enough to satisfy his captain. The Admiral considered this a reasonable demand and showed him his letters from the Catholic sovereigns, and this satisfied the Portuguese officer, who returned to his ship to report to his captain, Don Alvaro de Acuna. Very soon, Don Alvaro came to the Admiral’s caravel to the accompaniment of trumpets, fifes and drums and with a grand escort and greeted the Admiral ceremoniously, making him many offers of service.
Next day, when the Admiral’s arrival from the Indies had become known in Lisbon, so many people came to the caravel to see the Indians he had brought back and so learn the news that there was not room for them all, and the sea could not be seen for the great number of Portuguese boats and launches. Some of the Portuguese gave thanks to God for this great victory but others were unhappy and greatly disappointed that this triumph had slipped out of their hands owing to their King’s doubts and under-estimation of the enterprise. The day passed amidst a crowd of visitors.
Next day the King instructed his agents to give the Admiral all the refreshment and other things he needed for himself and his crew; in fact, to give him whatever he asked for. He also wrote to the Admiral congratulating him on his happy arrival and invited him, since he was in Portugal, kindly to pay him a visit. The Admiral was somewhat doubtful about accepting this invitation. But considering the friendship that obtained between the King of Portugal and the Catholic sovereigns and the nature of the courtesy demanded, and also to relieve all suspicions that he was returning from territories conquered by Portugal, he thought it right to go to Valparaiso (some nine leagues from Lisbon), where the King then was, and arrived there at night on 9 March.
The King ordered all the noblemen at his court to come out and meet him, and bring him into his presence. When the Admiral arrived before him the King paid him great honour and welcomed him warmly, ordering him to cover himself and be seated. Having heard with apparent joy the details of his victorious voyage, the King offered him all he might need for the service of the Catholic sovereigns, although in his opinion, on account of the treaty* he had agreed with them, he considered that this conquest was his. The Admiral replied that he knew nothing about this treaty and that he had scrupulously obeyed the orders that he had received not to go to Mina da Ouro† or to Guinea. The King replied that all was well and he was sure that the matter would be rightly settled. After spending some time on these conversations, the King ordered the Prior of Crato, who was the chief minister then at court, to give the Admiral lodging and entertainment and show him every favour, which he did.
The Admiral remained there for the whole of Sunday and Monday until after dinner, and then took leave of the King, who treated him with great kindness, offered him many favours and sent Don Martin de Norona to accompany him. Many other noblemen accompanied him also, both to pay him honour and to hear about the great events of his voyage.
On his return journey to Lisbon, he stopped at a convent at which the Queen of Portugal was staying, since she had sent him a most urgent message, begging him not to pass without visiting her. She was delighted to see him and treated him with all the favours and honour due to a great lord. That night one of the King’s gentlemen overtook the Admiral to tell him from the King that if he wished to go overland to Castile he would accompany him and find him lodgings in all places within the frontiers of Portugal, and provide him with all necessities.
The Admiral leaves Lisbon for Castile, travelling
by sea
ON Wednesday 13 March, at two o’clock in the afternoon the Admiral raised sail for Seville; and next day, at noon, crossed the bar of Saltes and anchored in Palos harbour, from which he had sailed on 3 August of the previous year 1492, seven months and eleven days before. Here he was received by all the people in procession, who gave thanks to Our Lord for His great mercy and this great victory, from which such expansion was to be expected both of the Christian faith and the estates of the Catholic sovereigns. All the citizens were highly delighted that it was from this port the Admiral had set sail and that the majority of the greater and nobler part of the men he had taken with him were men of this district, though some of them had by Pinzón’s fault behaved with treachery and disobedience.
It happened that at the time of the Admiral’s arrival in Palos, Pinzón reached Galicia and decided to go independently to Barcelona to give news of the enterprise to the Catholic sovereigns. But they sent him a message not to come except with the Admiral, with whom he had sailed on this voyage of discovery. This message so pained and annoyed Pinzón that he returned home a sick man and a few days later died of grief.
Before Pinzón reached Palos, the Admiral went by land to Seville, with the intention of going from there to Barcelona, where the Catholic sovereigns were staying. He had to make some slight delays on his journey owing to the excitement in the towns through which he passed, for everyone came from everywhere in the vicinity to gaze at him and at the Indians and other strange objects that he had brought with him.
Continuing his journey in this way, he reached Barcelona in the middle of April, having sent news ahead of him to the Catholic sovereigns of the prosperous outcome of his voyage. They showed infinite joy and satisfaction at this news and ordered that he be given the solemn reception due to one who had done them such signal service. Everyone in the city and court came out to meet him, and the Catholic sovereigns, surrounded by their court, awaited him seated in all their greatness and majesty on a magnificent throne under a canopy of gold. When he came to kiss their hands, they stood up to greet him as they would a great lord, made some demur in giving him their hands to kiss and seated him at their side. Then after some short conversation about the manner and success of his voyage, they gave him leave to retire to his lodging, to which he was accompanied by the whole court. During his stay he enjoyed such honours and favours from their Highnesses that when the King rode through Barcelona the Admiral accompanied him on one side and the Infante on the other, though the King was used to being accompanied by the Infante alone, who was his close relative.