Christopher Columbus' First Voyage
“…in the early part of the night there fell from heaven into the sea a marvelous flame of fire…”
“But the Admiral cheered them up in the best way he could, giving them good hopes of the advantages they might gain from it. He added that, however much they might complain, he had to go to the Indies, and that he would go on until he found them, with the help of our Lord.”
“It appeared to me to be a race of people very poor in everything…They have no iron, their darts being wands without iron… They should be good servants and intelligent, for I observed that they quickly took in what was said to them, and I believe that they would easily be made Christians, as it appeared to me that they had no religion… I, our Lord being pleased, will take hence, at the time of my departure, six natives for your Highnesses, that they may learn to speak.”
“…(T)hese people are very simple as regards the use of arms, as your Highnesses will see from the seven that I caused to be taken, to bring home and learn our language and return; unless your Highness should order them all to be brought to Castile, or to be kept as captives on the same island; for with fifty men they can all be subjugated and made to do what is required of them… The natives make war on each other, although these are very simple-minded and handsomely-formed people.”
“For the people I had taken from the island of San Salvador told me that here they wore very large rings of gold on their arms and legs.”
"Yesterday a canoe came alongside the ship, with six youths in it. Five came on board, and I ordered them to be detained. They are here now. I afterwards sent to a house on the western side of the river, and seized seven women, old and young, and three children. I did this because the men would behave better in Spain if they had women of their own land, than without them... The same night, the husband of one of the women came alongside in a canoe, who was father of the three children... He asked me to let him come with them...They are now all consoled at being with one who is a relation of them all."
"They saw one man... with a piece of gold leaf as large as a hand, and it appears that he wanted to barter with it. He cut the leaf into small pieces, and each time he came out he brought a piece and exchanged it. When he had no more left, he said by signs that he had sent for more, and that he would bring it another day."
Stay Tuned for Background History, Part three coming October 15, 2015