rim during his warfare with the Moors. Instances in following pages, however, may not have perused point will be found in the extravagant career of the that work, and as it is proposed at present to trace daring Ojeda, particularly in his adventures along the the subsequent fortunes of this youthful adventurer, coast of Terra Firma and the wild shores of Cuba. a brief sketch of him may not be deemed superfluous. In the sad story of the "unfortunate Nicuesa ;" graced as it is with occasional touches of high-bred courtesy: Castile, and of a respectable family. He was brought Alonzo de Ojeda was a native of Cuenca, in New in the singular cruise of that brave, but credulous, old cavalier, Juan Ponce de Leon, who fell upon the flow-up as a page or esquire, in the service of Don Luis ery coast of Florida, in his search after an imaginary de Cerda, Duke of Medina Celi, one of the most fountain of youth; and above all in the chequered for-powerful nobles of Spain; the same who for some tunes of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, whose discovery of time patronised Columbus during his application to the Pacific ocean, forms one of the most beautiful and the Spanish court.* striking incidents in the history of the new world, and whose fate might furnish a theme of wonderful interest for a poem or a drama. The extraordinary actions and adventures of these men, while they rival the exploits recorded in chivalric tale, have the additional interest of verity. They leave us in admiration of the bold and heroic qualities inherent in the Spanish character, which led that nation to so high a pitch of power and glory, and which are still discernible in the great mass of that gallant people, by those who have an opportunity of judging of them rightly. Before concluding these prefatory remarks, the author would acknowledge how much he has been indebted to the third volume of the invaluable Historical collection of Don Martin Fernandez de Navarrete, wherein he has exhibited his usual industry, accuracy, and critical acumen. He has likewise profited greatly by the second volume of Oviedo's general history, which only exists in manuscript, and a copy of which he found in the Columbian library of the Cathedral of Seville. He has had some assistance also from the documents of the law-case between Don Diego Columbus and the Crown, which exists in the archives of the Indies; and for an inspection of which he is much indebted to the permission of the Spanish Government and the kind attentions of Don Josef de La Higuera Lara, the keeper of the archives. These, with the historical works of Las Casas, Herrera Gomera, and Feter Martyr, have been his authorities for the facts contained in the following work; though he has not thought proper to refer to them continually at the bottom of his page. While his work was going through the press he received a volume of Spanish Biography, written with great elegance and accuracy, by Don Manuel Josef Quintana, and containing a life of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. He was gratified to find that his arrangement of facts were generally corroborated by this work; though he was enabled to correct his dates in several instances, and to make a few other emendations from the volume of Señor Quintana, whose position in Spain gave him the means of attaining superior exactness on these points. In those warlike days, when the peninsula was distracted by contests between the christian kingdoms, by feuds between the nobles and the crown, and by the incessant and marauding warfare with the Moors, the household of a Spanish nobleman was a complete school of arms, where the youth of the country were sent to be trained up in all kinds of hardy exercises, and to be led to battle under an illustrious banner. Such was especially the case with the service of the Duke of Medina Celi, who possessed princely domains, whose household was a petty court, who led legions of armed retainers to the field, and who appeared in splendid state and with an immense retinue, more as an ally of Ferdinand and Isabella, than as a subject. He engaged in many of the roughest expeditions of the memorable war of Granada, always insisting on leading his own troops in person, when the service was of peculiar difficulty and danger. Alonzo de Ojeda was formed to signalize himself in such a school. Though small of stature, he was well made, and of wonderful force and activity, with a towering spirit and a daring eye that seemed to make up for deficiency of height. He was a bold and graceful horseman, an excellent foot soldier, dexterous with every weapon, and noted for his extraordinary skill and adroitness in all feats of strength and agility. This He must have been quite young when he followed the duke of Medina Celi, as page, to the Moorish wars; for he was but about twenty-one years of age when he accompanied Columbus in his second voyage; he had already, however, distinguished himself by his enterprizing spirit and headlong valour; and his exploits during that voyage contributed to enhance his reputation. He returned to Spain with Columbus, but did not accompany him in his third voyage, in the spring of 1498. He was probably impatient of subordination, and ambitious of a separate employment or command, which the influence of his connexions gave him a great chance of obtaining. He had a cousin-german of his own name, the reverend Padre Alonzo de Ojeda, a Dominican friar, who was one of the first inquisitors of Spain, and a great favourite with the Catholic sovereigns. father inquisitor was, moreover, an intimate friend of the bishop Don Juan Rodriguez Fonseca, who had the chief management of the affairs of the Indies, under which general name were comprehended all the countries discovered in the new world. Through the good offices of his cousin inquisitor, therefore Ojeda had been introduced to the notice of the bishop, who took him into his especial favour and patronage. Mention has already been made, in the History of Columbus, of a present made by the bishop to Ojeda of a small Flemish painting of the Holy Virgin. This the young adventurer carried about with him as a protecting relic, invoking it at all times of peril. whether by sea or land; and to the special care of the Virgin he attributed the remarkable circumstance that he had never been wounded in any of the innu Varones Ilustres, por F. Pizarro y Orellana, p. 47. Tas Casam Hist. Ind. 1. i. c. 82. + Pizarro. Varones Ilustres. with him were several who had just returned from accompanying Columbus in his voyage to this very coast of Paria. The principal associate of Ojeda, and one on whom he placed great reliance, was Juan de la Cosa; who accompanied him as first mate, or as it was termed, chief pilot. This was a bold Biscayan, who may be regarded as a disciple of Columbus, with whom he had sailed in his second voyage, when he coasted Cuba and Jamaica, and he had since accompanied Rodrigo de Bastides, in an expedition along the coast of Terra Firma. The hardy veteran was looked up to by his contemporaries as an oracle of the seas, and was pronounced one of the most able mariners of the day; he may be excused, therefore, if in his harmless vanity, he considered himself on a par even with Columbus.* merable brawls and battles into which he was continually betrayed by his rash and fiery temperament. While Ojeda was lingering about the court, letters were received from Columbus, giving an account of the events of his third voyage, especially of his discovery of the coast of Paria, which he described as abounding with drugs and spices, with gold and silver, and precious stones, and, above all, with oriental pearls, and which he supposed to be the borders of that vast and unknown region of the East, wherein, according to certain learned theorists, was situated the terrestrial paradise. Specimens of the pearls, procured in considerable quantities from the natives, accompanied his epistle, together with charts descriptive of his route. These tidings caused a great sensation among the maritime adventurers of Spain; but no one was more excited by them than Alonzo Another conspicuous associate of Ojeda, in this de Ojeda, who, from his intimacy with the bishop, voyage, was Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine mer. had full access to the charts and correspondence of chant, induced by broken fortunes and a rambling Columbus. He immediately conceived the project of disposition to seek adventures in the new world. making a voyage in the route thus marked out by the Whether he had any pecuniary interest in the expeadmiral, and of seizing upon the first fruits of discovery dition, and in what capacity he sailed, does not apwhich he had left ungathered. His scheme met with pear. His importance has entirely arisen from subready encouragement from Fonseca, who, as has here- sequent circumstances; from his having written and tofore been shown, was an implacable enemy to Colum- published a narrative of his voyages, and from his bus, and willing to promote any measure that might name having eventually been given to the new injure or molest him. The bishop accordingly granted world. a commission to Ojeda, authorizing him to fit out an armament and proceed on a voyage of discovery, with the proviso merely that he should not visit any territories appertaining to Portugal, or any of the lands discovered in the name of Spain previous to the year 1495. The latter part of this provision appears to have been craftily worded by the bishop, so as to leave the coast of Paria and its pearl fisheries open to Ojeda, they having been recently discovered by Columbus in 1498. CHAPTER II. the mariners who had accompanied him on that occasion. At the end of twenty-four days he reached the continent of the new world, about two hundred leagues farther south than the part discovered by Columbus, being, as it is supposed, the coast of Surinam.t DEPARTURE FROM SPAIN ARRIVAL ON THE COAST OF PARIA-CUSTOMS OF THE NATIONS. OJEDA sailed from Port St. Mary on the 20th of May, 1499, and, having touched for supplies at the Canaries, took a departure from Gomara, pursuing The commission was signed by Fonseca alone, in the route of Columbus, in his third voyage, being virtue of general powers vested in him for such pur-guided by the chart he had sent home, as well as by poses, but the signature of the sovereigns did not appear on the instrument, and it is doubtful whether their sanction was sought on the occasion. He knew that Columbus had recently remonstrated against a royal mandate issued in 1495, permitting voyages of discovery, by private adventurers, and that the sovereigns had in consequence revoked their mandate wherever it might be deemed prejudicial to the stipulated privileges of the admiral.* It is probable, therefore, that the bishop avoided raising any question that might impede the enterprise; being confident of the ultimate approbation of Ferdinand, who would be well pleased to have his dominions in the new world extended by the discoveries of private adventurers, undertaken at their own expense. It was s'ipulated in this, as well as in subsequent licenses tor private expeditions, that a certain proportion of the profits, generally a fourth or fifth, should be reserved for the crown. Having thus obtained permission to make the voyage, the next consideration with Ojeda was to find the means. He was a young adventurer, a mere soldier of fortune, and destitute of wealth; but he had a high reputation for courage and enterprise, and with these, it was thought, would soon make his way to the richest parts of the newly discovered lands, and have the wealth of the Indies at his disposal. He had no difficulty, therefore, in finding monied associates among the rich merchants of Seville, who, in that age of discovery, were ever ready to stake their property upon the schemes of roving navigators. With such assistance he soon equipped a squadron of four vessels at Port St. Mary, opposite Cadiz. Among the seamen who engaged • Navarrete, t. ii. Document, cxiii. From hence he ran along the coast of the Gulf of Paria, passing the mouths of many rivers, but especially those of the Esquivo and the Oronoko. These, to the astonishment of the Spaniards, unaccustomed as yet to the mighty rivers of the new world, poured forth such a prodigious volume of water, as to freshen the sea for a great extent. They beheld none of the natives until they arrived at the Island of Trinidad, on which island they met with traces of the recent visit of Columbus. Vespucci, in his letters, gives a long description of the people of this island and of the coast of Paria, who were of the Carib race, tall, well-made and vigorous, and expert with the bow, the lance, and the buckler. His description, in general, resembles those which have frequently been given of the Aboriginals of the new world; there are two or three particulars, however, worthy of citation. They appeared, he said, to believe in no religious creed, to have no place of worship, and to make no prayers or sacritices; but, he adds, from the volup tuousness of their lives, they might be considered Epicureans. Their habitations were built in the shape of bells; of the trunks of trees, thatched with palm leaves, and were proof against wind and weather. They appeared to be in common, and Navarrete. Collec. Viag., t. iii., p. 4. + Navarrete, t. iii., p. 5 Viages de Vespucci. Navarrete, t. iii., p. 211 some of them were of such magnitude as to con- | island, the inhabitants of which were cannibals, and tain six hundred persons: in one place there were carried their people into captivity, to be devoured at eight principal houses capable of sheltering nearly their unnatural banquets. They besought Ojeda, ten thousand inhabitants. Every seven or eight therefore, to avenge them upon these ferocious ene. years the natives were obliged to change their resi- mies. dence, from the maladies engendered by the heat of the climate in their crowded habitations. Their riches consisted in beads and ornaments made from the bones of fishes; in small white and green stones strung like rosaries, with which they adorned their persons, and in the beautiful plumes of various colours for which the tropical birds are noted. The Spaniards smiled at their simplicity in attaching an extraordinary value to such worthless trifles; while the savages, in all probability, were equally surprised at beholding the strangers so eager after gold, and pearls, and precious stones, which to themselves were objects of indifference. The request was gratifying to the fighting propensities of Alonzo de Ojeda, and to his love of adventure, and was readily granted. Taking seven of the natives on board of his vessels, therefore, as guides, he set sail in quest of the cannibals. After sailing for seven days he came to a chain of islands, some of which were peopled, others uninhabited, and which are supposed to have been the Carribee islands. One of these was pointed out by his guides as the habitation of their foes. On running near the shore he beheld it thronged with savage warriors, decorated with coronets of gaudy plumes, their bodies painted with a variety of colours. They were armed with bows and arrows, with darts, lances, and bucklers, and seemed prepared to defend their island from invasion. Their manner of treating the dead was similar to that observed among the natives of some of the islands. Having deposited the corpse in a cavern or This show of war was calculated to rouse the sepulchre, they placed a jar of water and a few eat-martial spirit of Ojeda. He brought his ships to anables at its head, and then abandoned it without | chor, ordered out his boats, and provided each with moan or lamentation. In some parts of the coast, a paterero or small cannon. Beside the oarsmen, when a person was considered near his end, his each boat contained a number of soldiers, who were nearest relatives bore him to the woods and laid him told to crouch out of sight in the bottom. The in a hammock suspended to the trees. They then | boats then pulled in steadily for the shore. As they danced round him until evening, when, having left approached, the Indians let fly a cloud of arrows, within his reach sufficient meat and drink to sustain but without much effect. Seeing the boats continue him for four days, they repaired to their habitations. to advance, the savages threw themselves into the If he recovered and returned home, he was received sea, and brandished their lances to prevent their landwith much ceremony and rejoicing; if he died of ing. Upon this, the soldiers sprang up in the boats his malady or of famine, nothing more was thought and discharged the patereroes. At the sound and of him. smoke of these unknown weapons the savages abanTheir mode of treating a fever is also worthy of doned the water in affright, while Ojeda and his men mention. In the height of the malady they plunged leaped on shore and pursued them. The Carib warthe patient in a bath of the coldest water, after riors rallied on the banks, and fought for a long which they obliged him to make many evolutions time with that courage peculiar to their race, but round a great fire, until he was in a violent heat, when were at length driven to the woods, at the edge of the they put him to bed, that he might sleep: a treat-sword, leaving many killed and wounded on the field ment, adds Amerigo Vespucci, by which we saw of battle. many cured. CHAPTER III. On the following day the savages were seen on the shore in still greater numbers, armed and painted, and decorated with war plumes, and sounding defiance with their conchs and drums. Ojeda again landed with fifty-seven men, whom he separated into COASTING OF TERRA FIRMA-MILITARY EXPE- four companies, and ordered them to charge the DITION OF OJEDA. enemy from different directions. The Caribs fought for a time hand to hand, displaying great dexterity in AFTER touching at various parts of Trinidad and covering themselves with their bucklers, but were at the Gulf of Paria, Ojeda passed through the strait length entirely routed and driven, with great slaughof the Boca del Drago, or Dragon's Mouth, which | ter, to the forests. The Spaniards had but one man Columbus had found so formidable, and then steered killed and twenty-one wounded in these combats,his course along the coast of Terra Firma, landing such superior advantage did their armour give them occasionally until he arrived at Curiana, or the Gulf over the naked savages. Having plundered and of Pearls. From hence he stood to the opposite set fire to the houses, they returned triumphantly island of Margarita, previously discovered by Colum- to their ships, with a number of Carib captives, and bus, and since renowned for its pearl fishery. This, made sail for the main land. Ojeda bestowed a part as well as several adjacent islands, he visited and of the spoil upon the seven Indians who had acexplored; after which he returned to the main land, companied him as guides, and sent them exulting to and touched at Cumana and Maracapana, where he their homes, to relate to their countrymen the signal found the rivers infested with alligators resembling vengeance that had been wreaked upon their foes. the crocodiles of the Nile. He then anchored in a bay, where he remained for twenty days, until his men had recovered from their wounds.* Finding a convenient harbour at Maracapana he unloaded and careened his vessels there, and built a small brigantine. The natives came to him in great numbers, bringing abundance of venison, fish, and cassava bread, and aiding the seamen in their labours. Their hospitality was not certainly disinterested, for they sought to gain the protection of the Spaniards, whom they reverenced as superhuman beings. When they thought they had sufficiently secured their favour, they represented to Ojeda that their coast was subject to invasion from a distant *There is some discrepance in the early accounts of this battle, as to the time and place of its occurrence. The author has collated the narratives of Vespucci, Las Casas, Herrera, and Peter Martyr, and the evidence given in the law-suit of Diego Columbus, and has endeavoured as much as possible to reconcile them. CHAPTER IV. ships, where the men were put in irons. One of DISCOVERY OF THE GULF OF VENEZUELA-TRANS-terously escaping the same night. HIS crew being refreshed, and the wounded sufficiently recovered, Ojeda made sail, and touched at the island of Curazao, which, according to the accounts of Vespucci, was inhabited by a race of giants, "every woman appearing a Penthesilea, and every man an Antæus."'* As Vespucci was a scholar, and as he supposed himself exploring the regions of the extreme East, the ancient realm of fable, it is probable his imagination deceived him, and construed the formidable accounts given by the Indians of their cannibal neighbours of the islands, into something according with his recollections of classic fable. Certain it is, that the reports of subsequent voyagers proved the inhabitants of the island to be of the ordinary size. Proceeding along the coast, he arrived at a vast deep gulf, resembling a tranquil lake; entering which, he beheld on the eastern side a village, the construction of which struck him with surprise. It consisted of twenty large houses, shaped like bells, and built on piles driven into the bottom of the lake, which, in this part, was limpid and of but little depth. Each house was provided with a drawbridge, and with canoes, by which the communication was carried on. From these resemblances to the Italian city, Ojeda gave to the bay the name of the Gulf of Venice: and it is called at the present day Venezuela, or little Venice: the Indian name was Coquibacoa. When the inhabitants beheld the ships standing into the bay, looking like wonderful and unknown apparitions from the deep, they fled with terror to their houses, and raised the drawbridges. The Spaniards remained for a time gazing with admiration at this amphibious village, when a squadron of canoes entered the harbour from the sea. On beholding the ships they paused in mute amazement, and on the Spaniards attempting to approach them, paddled swiftly to shore, and plunged into the forest. They soon returned with sixteen young girls, whom they conveyed in their canoes to the ships, distributing four on board of each, either as peace-offerings or as tokens of amity and confidence. The best of understanding now seemed to be established; and the inhabitants of the village came swarming about the ships in their canoes, and others swimming in great numbers from the shores. The friendship of the savages, however, was all delusive. On a sudden, several old women at the doors of the houses uttered loud shrieks, tearing their hair in fury. It appeared to be a signal for hostility. The sixteen nymphs plunged into the sea 2nd made for shore; the Indians in the canoes caught up their bows and discharged a flight of arrows, and even those who were swimming brandished darts and lances, which they had hitherto concealed beneath the water. Ojeda was for a moment surprised at seeing war thus starting up on every side, and the very sea bristling with weapons. Manning his boats, he immediately charged among the thickest of the enemy, shattered and sunk several of their canoes, killed twenty Indians and wounded many more, and spread such a panic among them, that most of the survivors Alung themselves into the sea and swam to shore. Three of them were taken prisoners, and two of the fugitive girls, and were conveyed on board of the Vespucci.-Letter to Lorenzo de Pier Francisco de Medicis Ojeda had but five men wounded in the attray all of whom recovered. He visited the houses, but found them abandoned and destitute of booty; not withstanding the unprovoked hostility of the inhabit. ants, he spared the buildings, that he might not cause useless irritation along the coast. Continuing to explore this gulf, Ojeda penetrated to a port or harbour, to which he gave the name of St. Bartholomew, but which is supposed to be the same at present known by the original Indian name of Maracaibo. Here, in compliance with the entreaties of the natives, he sent a detachment of twenty-seven Spaniards on a visit to the interior. For nine days they were conducted from town to town, and feasted and almost idolized by the Indians, who regarded them as angelic beings, performing their national dances and games, and chaunting their traditional ballads for their entertainment. The natives of this part were distinguished for the symmetry of their forms; the females in particular appeared to the Spaniards to surpass all others that they had yet beheld in the new world for grace and beauty; neither did the men evince, in the least degree, that jealousy which prevailed in other parts of the coast; but, on the contrary, permitted the most frank and intimate intercourse with their wives and daughters. By the time the Spaniards set out on their return to the ship, the whole country was aroused, pouring forth its population, male and female, to do them honour. Some bore them in litters or hammocks, that they might not be fatigued with the journey, and happy was the Indian who had the honour of bearing a Spaniard on his shoulders across a river. Others loaded themselves with the presents that had been bestowed on their guests, consisting of rich plumes, weapons of various kinds, and tropical birds and animals. In this way they returned in triumphant procession to the ships, the woods and shores resounding with their songs and shouts. Many of the Indians crowded into the boats that took the detachment to the ships; others put off in canoes, or swam from shore, so that in a little while the vessels were thronged with upwards of a thousand wondering natives. While gazing and marvelling at the strange objects around them, Ojeda ordered the cannon to be discharged, at the sound of which, says Vespucci, the Indians "plunged into the water, like so many frogs from a bank." Perceiving, however, that it was done in harmless mirth, they returned on board, and passed the rest of the day in great festivity. The Spaniards brought away with them several of the beautiful and hospitable females from this place, one of whom, named by them Isabel, was much prized by Ojeda, and accompanied him in a subsequent voyage.* * Navarette, t. iii., p. 8. Idem, pp. 107, 108. It is worthy of particular mention that Ojeda, in his report of his voyage to the Sovereigns, informed them of his having met with English voyagers in the vicinity of Coquibacoa, and that the Spanish government attached such importance to his information as to take measures to prevent any intrusion into those parts by the English. It is singular that no record should exist of this undertaken in the service of the Crown, some document might be early and extensive expedition of English navigators. If it was found concerning it among the archives of the reign of Henry VII. The English had already discovered the continent of North America. This had been done in 1497, by John Cabot, a Venetian, accompanied by his son Sebastian, who was born in Bristol. They sailed under a license of Henry VII., who was to have a fifth of the profits of the voyage. On the 24th June they discovered Newfoundland, and afterwards coasted the continent quite to Florida, bringing back to England a valuable cargo and several of the natives. This was the first discovery of the mainland of Amer ica. The success of this expedition may have prompted the one which Ojeda encountered in the neighbourhood of Coquibacoa. CHAPTER V. PROSECUTION OF THE VOYAGE-RETURN TO offered to fit out a caravel for the expedition; but on condition that his brother, Christoval Guerra, should have the command. The poverty of Niño compelled him to assent to the stipulations of the man of wealth, and he sailed as subaltern in his own enterprise; but LEAVING the friendly port of Coquibacoa, Ojeda his nautical skill and knowledge soon gained him the continued along the western shores of the gulf of ascendancy, he became virtually the captain, and Venezuela, and standing out to sea, and doubling ultimately enjoyed the whole credit of the voyage. Cape Maracaibo, he pursued his coasting voyage The bark of these two adventurers was but of from port to port, and promontory to promontory, fifty tons burthen, and the crew thirty-three souls all of this unknown continent, until he reached that told. With this slender armament they undertook long stretching headland called Cape de la Vela. to traverse unknown and dangerous seas, and to exThere, the state of his vessels, and perhaps the dis-plore the barbarous shores of that vast continent reappointment of his hopes at not meeting with abun-cently discovered by Columbus;—such was the dardant sources of immediate wealth, induced him to ing spirit of the Spanish voyagers of those days. abandon all further voyaging along the coast, and, It was about the beginning of June, 1499, and but changing his course, he stood across the Caribbean a few days after the departure of Ojeda, that tney Sea for Hispaniola. The tenor of his commission put to sea. They sailed from the little port of Paforbade his visiting that island; but Ojeda was not los, the original cradle of American discovery, whose a man to stand upon trifles when his interest or in- brave and skilful mariners long continued foremost clination prompted the contrary. He trusted to in all enterprises to the New World. Being guided excuse the infraction of his orders by the alleged by the chart of Columbus, they followed his route, necessity of touching at the island to caulk and refit and reached the southern continent, a little beyond his vessels, and to procure provisions. His true ob- Paria, about fifteen days after the same coast had ject, however, is supposed to have been to cut dye- been visited by Ojeda. wood, which abounds in the western part of Hispaniola. He accordingly anchored at Yaquimo in September, and landed with a large party of his men. Columbus at that time held command of the island, and, hearing of this unlicensed intrusion, despatched Francesco Roldan, the quondam rebel, to call Ojeda to account. The contest of stratagem and management that took place between these two adroit and daring adventurers has already been detailed in the History of Columbus. Roldan was eventually successful, and Ojeda, being obliged to leave Hispaniola, resumed his rambling voyage, visiting various islands, from whence he carried off numbers of the natives. He at length arrived at Cadiz, in June, 1500, with his ships crowded with captives, whom he sold as slaves. So meagre, however, was the result of this expedition, that we are told, when all the expenses were deducted, but five hundred ducats remained to be divided between fifty-five adventurers. What made this result the more mortifying was, that a petty armament which had sailed sometime after that of Ojeda, had returned two months before him, rich with the spoils of the New World. A brief account of this latter expedition is necessary to connect this series of minor discoveries. PEDRO ALONZO NIÑO* AND CHRISTOVAL GUERRA. (1499.) THE permission granted by Bishop Fonseca to Alonzo de Ojeda, to undertake a private expedition to the New World, roused the emulation of others of the followers of Columbus. Among these was Pedro Alonzo Niño, a hardy seaman, native of Moguer in the vicinity of Palos, who had sailed with Columbus, as a pilot, in his first voyage, and also in his cruisings along the coasts of Cuba and Paria.† He soon obtained from the bishop a similar license to that given to Ojeda, and, like the latter, sought for some monied confederate among the rich merchants of Seville. One of these, named Luis Guerra, Pronounced Ninyo. The Ñ in Spanish is always pronounced as if followed by the letter y. + Testimony of Bastides in the law-suit of Diego Columbus. This They then proceeded to the gulf of Paria, where they landed to cut dye-wood, and were amicably entertained by the natives. Shortly after, sallying from the gulf by the Boca del Drago, they encountered eighteen canoes of Caribs, the pirate-rovers of these seas and the terror of the bordering lands. savage armada, instead of being daunted as usual by the sight of a European ship with swelling sails, resembling some winged monster of the deep, considered it only as an object of plunder or hostility. and assailed it with showers of arrows. The sudden burst of artillery, however, from the sides of the caravel and the havoc made among the Caribs by this seeming thunder, struck them with dismay and they fled in all directions. The Spaniards succeeded in capturing one of the canoes, with one of the warriors who had manned it. In the bottom of the canoe lay an Indian prisoner bound hand and foot. On being liberated he informed the Spaniards by signs that these Caribs had been on a marauding expedition along the neighbouring coasts, shutting themselves up at night in a stockade which they carried with them, and issuing forth by day to plunder the villages and to make captives. He had been one of seven prisoners. His companions had been devoured before his eyes at the cannibal banquets of these savages, and he had been awaiting the same miserable fate. Honest Niño and his confederates were so indignant at this recital, that, receiving it as established fact, they performed what they considered an act of equitable justice, by abandoning the Carib to the discretion of his late captive. The latter fell upon the defenceless warrior with fist and foot and cudgel; nor did his rage subside even after the breath had been mauled out of his victim, but, tearing the grim head from the body, he placed it on a pole as a trophy of his vengeance. Niño and his fellow-adventurers now steered for the island of Margarita, where they obtained a considerable quantity of pearls by barter. They after wards skirted the opposite coast of Cumana, trading cautiously and shrewdly from port to port, somietimes remaining on board of their little bark, and obliging the savages to come off to them, when the latter appeared too numerous, at other times ventur ing on shore, and even into the interior. They were invariably treated with amity by the natives, who adorned with necklaces and bracelets of pearls. were perfectly naked, excepting that they were These they sometimes gave freely to the Spaniards |