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A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus
A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus Author:Washington Irving Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3CHAPTER III. CRUISE AMONG THE CARIBBEE ISLANDS. [1493.] Weighing anchor on the roth of November, Columbus steered along the coast of Guadeloupe towards the north-west, in which di... more »rection, according to his own calculations, and the informations of the Indians, lay Hispaniola. The women whom he had recently taken on board, had given him intelligence of other islands to the south, and had assured him that the main land extended in that quarter; information which he afterwards found to be true, but at present his impatience to arrive at the harbour of Nativity, prevented his extending his discoveries. Continuing along this beautiful archipelago, he gave names to its islands as they successively rose to view. Montserrat, Santa Maria la Redonda, Santa Maria la Antigua, and San VOL. II. 3 Martin; various other islands appeared to the north, and extending north-west. and southeast, all very lofty and mountainous, with stately and magnificent forests, but the Admiral .forbore to visit them. The weather proving boisterous, they anchored on the 14th November, at an island called Ayay by the Indians, but to which the Admiral gave the name of Santa Cruz. Here the boat was sent on shore, with five-and-twenty men, to get water and procure information concerning their route. They found a village deserted by the men, but they secured a few women and boys, most of whom were captives, brought hither from other islands; for this was likewise an abode of the Caribs. They had soon an instance of the courage and ferocity of this singular race. While the boat was on shore, a canoe with a few Indians, two of vvhom were females, came coasting from a distant part of the island, and, turning a point of land, arrived suddenly in full view of the ships. Astonished at what to them must have been so awful and supernatura...« less