Part 25 (1/2)
”We went thence to another great island,[276] which lies north and south with it, 2 leagues away. Before we arrived, 93 canoes with warriors came out to us and .....[277] We took an Indian chief and placed him below the deck. He seized a sword, and defending himself attempted to escape, until at last the sword was taken from him and he was bound. We sent the people on sh.o.r.e, intending to take possession; but so many natives attacked them that we were not able to do so, and we returned to the island of San Juan. I offered to Don Fernando to take possession of it before dawn; and it was done. In the island of San Juan, they ransomed the Indian, and gave us for him three hogs, to which he added some beads. As a sign of friendliness, Don Fernando Henriquez embraced him.
[276] Apparently this is the island named Santiago below. It is without doubt St. Christoval.
[277] ”y tuvimos gran guasavara.”
”On the following day, which was the 2nd of June, we arrived at dawn off the island of Santiago.[278] More than 50 canoes came out to us; and they planned to carry us off to their towns. It was necessary to fire some shots in order that they should quit us; and they left us and returned. Possession was taken of this island in the name of His Majesty; and we did no injury to the people. This island is 40 leagues in length on its north side: and it is narrow, and in part mountainous, and is well peopled. The Indians of this island go naked and eat human flesh. Its eastern extremity is in lat.i.tude 10; and lies north-west and south-east with the island of Treguada 12 leagues. The south-east extremity lies north-west and south-east 18 leagues with the island of Malaita.
[278] The reader will now require to use some caution in following this part of the narrative, since Gallego seems to have fallen into much confusion respecting the island of St. Christoval. The name of Santiago was evidently applied by him to the north side of the island west of the prominent headlong of Cape Keibeck, which he might easily have taken for the extremity of the island. The name of San Urban was in all probability given to the peninsula of Cape Surville, which, as I have myself remarked while off the St.
Christoval coast, has the appearance of a detached island when first seen, in approaching it from the northward and westward. This deceptive appearance, when viewed from a distance, is due to the circ.u.mstance that the neck of the peninsula of Cape Surville is raised but a few feet above the level of the sea, and is in consequence below the horizon when this cape is first sighted. The distance of San Urban from Guadalca.n.a.l, as given above, is inconsistent with the rest of the journal; and for 4 leagues, 40 leagues was evidently intended, the omission of the cipher being probably a clerical error. The name of St. Christoval was subsequently given, as shown further on in the narrative, when the Spanish s.h.i.+ps visited the south coast of this island.
”When we were all embarked to proceed further on, a violent north-east wind overtook us, and drove us to the extremity of Santiago, whence we saw a large island to the south-east that trended westward. It was 18 leagues distant. It is in lat.i.tude 10 south of the equinoctial; and is 4 leagues distant from the island of Guadalca.n.a.l. We gave it the name of the island of San Urban.
”On account of the sickness of myself and of some of the soldiers, we did not proceed further: and, keeping away to leeward, we arrived at the island of Guadalca.n.a.l. We landed at a town where the Indians gave us ... ...[279] when we intended to get water, and where we set free the three Indians in the canoe; and they gave us a hog and _pa.n.a.les_.
But they were in great fear of us, and leaving us they returned to the town. Beads were given to them as a sign of friends.h.i.+p. Leaving there, we continued our cruise to return to the s.h.i.+ps, and touched at some places where we had been before, the natives receiving us in a friendly manner, and giving us what they had, because they were much afraid of the muskets we carried. We sailed further on to a port, where, during our previous stay, we had been received peacefully. We got water there; and they gave us a hog and almost filled the brigantine with _panoes_, which is the food they eat. It is a very good harbour for the s.h.i.+ps, and lies under the shelter of an island. There are many inhabitants.
[279] ”La Guacanara.”
”We continued our return cruise, intending to explore a river where we had been before. Sailing into the port to obtain provisions, we arrived close off a town which the Indians abandoned when they saw us. We found there, many _panoes_ and _names_ (yams) with which we loaded the brigantine. I tried to catch a tame white parrot, which the Indians had together with many others of various hues. When the Indians saw that we did no harm, they all a.s.sembled, and came and gave us a hog to induce us to go. Presently we sailed on to another river, on the bank of which there is a large town; we anch.o.r.ed in it. The Indians began to make fires, and to cast the fire in the air;[280] it was a thing we had not seen in any other part.
[280] ”hechar por lo alto.”
”On the next day, which was the 6th of June, the Feast of the Holy Ghost, we reached the s.h.i.+ps, and found them all very sad. It appeared that on the Day of the Ascension, the steward with four soldiers and five negroes were sent on sh.o.r.e for water. As on previous occasions, they were sent because the cacique of that tribe was a friend and used to come off to the s.h.i.+ps to give us cocoa-nuts, whilst his men used to fetch the water in the earthen jars, and because we trusted them for the friendly manner in which they behaved in their dealings with us. This day, however, when they were gone for the water, it seemed that the boat got aground because they had not taken care to keep her afloat as she was being filled. At this moment, the Indians rushed out from ambush with their weapons and were upon them; and they did not leave a single soul alive except a negro of mine who escaped. All the rest they hewed to pieces, cutting off their heads, and arms, and legs, tearing out their tongues, and supping up their brains[281] with great ferocity. The negro who escaped took to the water to swim off to an islet that was near. However, they swam in pursuit, and with a cutla.s.s, which he carried in his hand, he defended himself from them in such a manner that they left him, and he reached the islet. From there he began to make signs, and to shout out to those in the s.h.i.+ps, which they perceived; and as quickly as possible the General went ash.o.r.e to see what had happened.
When he reached there, the ill tidings were told. The Indians retired to the hills. In a short time, the dead Christians were recovered; and they buried them in the place where they used to say ma.s.s, the soldiers in one grave, and the negroes in another. Of the negroes, one belonged to the King, two to ourselves, and one to the boatswain. It was a thing to hear their shouting, and the noise that the Indians made with their drums. It appeared to be a general a.s.sembling day with them, because more than 40,000 Indians[282] had gathered together for this purpose.
When our people had buried the dead, they embarked in the s.h.i.+ps, being in great grief with what had occurred.
[281] The New Ireland cannibals of the present day are fond of a composition of sago, cocoa-nut, and human brains. (”The Western Pacific and New Guinea.” London 1886: p. 58: by H. H. Romilly.)
[282] This is either an exaggerated statement, or it is an error in transcribing.
”As I understand, the cause of the Indians coming to attack us was this.
The cacique came off to the 'Capitana' to entreat that our people would give him back a boy belonging to his tribe, whom they had taken. He offered a hog for him; but they would not give him up. On the following day, the cacique brought a hog off to the s.h.i.+p, and said that, if they gave him the boy who was a kinsman of his, he would give them the hog.
But they would not give him up, and took the hog by force. When the cacique saw how he had been treated, he went away and did not return to the s.h.i.+ps again. In a few days, the disaster happened.
”On the day after this unfortunate event, the General ordered Pedro Sarmiento to land with as many men as he could muster to inflict punishment. He burned many towns, and killed more than 20 Indians. Then he returned to give account of what he had done. Each day that they landed they endeavoured to punish them the more. On a subsequent occasion, because no more Indians were seen whom they could punish, the General ordered Pedro Sarmiento to proceed to a point that lay to the south-east a league and a half from the s.h.i.+ps. For he considered that all the Indians had been concerned in the treachery and in the death of the Christians. Having embarked 50 soldiers in two boats, Pedro Sarmiento went there, but he found no Indians as they had fled to the hills. After he had burned all the buildings and habitations that he could find, he turned back on his way to the s.h.i.+ps. Some Indians, who came out from a point, followed him slowly; and our people lay in ambush and killed three or four Indians, the rest escaping in flight. They then returned to the boats, and embarking came back to the s.h.i.+ps. An Indian, whom we took, informed us of those who were concerned in the death of our men. He said that the leader was a taurique, named n.o.bolo, who lived on the bank of the river that lay a league to the east of the Rio Gallego; and that with him there were many others who had collected together for that object and with the said result.
”On Wednesday, the 9th of June, the men of the 'Almiranta' were engaged in making a top-mast on the islet close to where the s.h.i.+ps were anch.o.r.ed. Some musketeers and targeteers (_rodeleros_), who were eight in number, were in guard of the carpenter's party. As it happened, the Indians were then preparing for another attack; and more than 300 of them lay in ambush, ready for the a.s.sault. About 10 Indians crossed over to the islet with bows and arrows concealed; and they brought a hog, intending to beguile our men by occupying their attention in talking, whilst the other Indian warriors should be arriving. When I saw the Indians crossing over and this canoe heading for the islet where our people were making the top-mast, I ordered some musketeers into the boat; and accompanied by Pedro Sarmiento, we steered so that the islet concealed us from those in the canoe. Approaching the islet, we pa.s.sed between it and the main island and came close up with the canoe which had only one Indian on board, the others having thrown themselves into the sea. The canoe was captured together with the hog which they had brought to deceive us. When we had joined the party who were making the top-mast, we returned to the s.h.i.+ps after having killed those who came in the canoe. This was the most effective attack that was made, for the Indians went away much discouraged.
”On the 12th of the same month of June, the General took the brigantine and a boat with nearly all the people, in order to inflict further punishment at a river which lay a league to the east of the place where the s.h.i.+ps were anch.o.r.ed; and I accompanied him. An hour before the dawn we arrived close to the river; and we were about to conceal ourselves and fall upon the Indians, when we were seen by their sentinels and they went to arms. I remained with four musketeers in charge of the brigantine and the boat in the mouth of the river, so as not to allow any canoe to escape. The General on arriving at the town, which had more than 200 houses, found it deserted. He set fire to it; and then we returned to the s.h.i.+ps.
”The next day, which was Sunday the 13th of June, we made sail during the night and proceeded in the s.h.i.+ps to follow up the discoveries of the brigantine. When we had sailed about 8 leagues to the south-east, we anch.o.r.ed because the wind was contrary. The General landed here to get some provisions for the sick, of whom there were many. In a short time he returned to the s.h.i.+ps, when we made sail with the land-breeze. Now died the pilot, Paladin, an experienced seaman. We lost sight of the brigantine, as she went ahead of us: and we did not see her until we found her anch.o.r.ed in a port off an islet that lay half a league to windward of where we had anch.o.r.ed in the brigantine during our voyage of discovery. There were many inhabitants here; and they came off to us as friends. On account of it being Corpus Christi Day, we remained here all the day. Ma.s.s was said at the islet which is close to the anchorage. We watered the s.h.i.+ps there. The Indians gave us of their own free will two hogs and many cocoa-nuts and _names_ (yams). The cacique of this tribe was named Meso, and the town was called Urare. This people is at war with the people of Feday, which is the name of the place where we were anch.o.r.ed... ...[283]
[283] ”que nos maron gente.”
”On the 18th of June, we left this port, and proceeded on our voyage, seeking the island of Santiago or San Juan,[284] which was the island that we had discovered and named. We beat to windward against a strong head wind in our endeavour to arrive at the island of Santiago; but on account of this contrary wind and the boisterous weather, we did not fetch it; and I determined to steer to the south of the island of Santiago, the wind and the contrary currents not allowing us to find a harbour. We coasted along an island, not seen in the brigantine[285], and we held on our course for fourteen days, endeavouring to reach the end of the island; but in the middle of the island, on account of the contrary wind and currents, what we gained one day we lost the next.
Accordingly I went to find a port. We named this island San Christoval.[286] It was our Lord's pleasure that after so much difficulty I should find a very good port for the s.h.i.+ps; and on the following day I returned to the s.h.i.+ps. We sailed to windward that night on account of the boisterous weather, which obliged us to shorten sail and lie-to[287] for the night. When it dawned, we found ourselves three leagues to leeward of the port, which we tried in vain to reach; and since we kept falling to leeward, I was compelled to take the brigantine and go in search of another anchorage, with the understanding that when I had found one, I should signal to the s.h.i.+ps to follow the brigantine.
The signal being made, I guided the s.h.i.+ps to the brigantine, which lay outside a point of reefs that formed the harbour; and so we entered it.
[284] Gallego here seems to have forgotten that he had previously applied these two names to different islands, that of San Juan to Ugi and that of Santiago to the large island south of it, viz., the present St. Christoval (see p. 222).