Storm. And two ships nigh to foundering1. When wind sank and blue came back, we left Puerto Bello and turned again south by east, but now with crazy, crazy ships, weather-wrenched and worm-eaten, teredo pierced. They looked old, so old, with their whipped and darkened sails. And when we dropped anchor in some bight there was no gold, but all night we heard that harsh blowing of shells and beating of drums.
Francisco and Diego de Porras, Alonso de Zamorra, Pedro de Villetoro, Bernardo the Apothecary2 and others, the most upon the Consolacion, others on the Margarita and the Juana, now began to brew3 mutiny.
We sailed on, and upon this forlorn coast we met no more gold. Our ships grew so worn that now at any threat in the sky we must look and look quickly for harborage, be it good or indifferent bad. To many of us the coast now took a wicked look. It was deep in November.
No gold. These Indians—how vast anyhow was India?—were hostile, not friendly. Our ships were dying, manifestly. If they sank under us and we drowned, the King and Queen—if the Queen still lived—never would come to know that Christopherus Columbus had found Veragua thrice more golden even than Paria! Found Veragua, met men of Yucatan; and heard of Ciguarre.
At last not only the mutinous4 but steadfast5 men cried, "If there is a strait it is too far with these ships!"
For a time he was obstinate6. It must be found,—it must be found! But one night there fell all but loss of the Margarita. When next he slept he had a dream. "The good Queen came to me and she had in her hand a picture of five stout7 ships. Out of her lips came a singing voice. 'Master Christopherus, Master Christopherus, these wait for you, riding in Cadiz harbor! But now will you slay8 your son and your brother and all your men?' Then she said, 'The strait is hidden for a while,' and went."
That day we turned. "We will go back to Veragua and lade with gold, and then we'll sail to Jamaica and to Hispaniola where this time we shall be welcome! Then to Spain where the Queen will give me a stronger fleet."
Our ships hailed the turning. Even the Adelantado, even Diego Mendez and Juan Sanchez and Bartholomew Fiesco who were of the boldest drew long breath as of men respited9 from death.
Not so many have known and lived to tell of such weather as now we met and in it rolled from wave to wave through a long month.
Would we put to land we were beaten back. We had never seen such waves, and at times they glowed with cold fire. The sea with the wind twisted, danced and shouted. We were deaf with thunder and blind with lightning. When the rain descended10, it was as though an upper ocean were coming down. A little surcease, then return of the tempest, like return of Polyphemus. Men died from drowning, and, I think, from pure fright. One day the clouds drove down, the sea whirled up. There was made a huge water column, a moving column that fast grew larger. Crying out, our sailors flung themselves upon their knees. It passed us with a mighty11 sound, and we were not engulfed12.
The Admiral said, "God tries us, but he will not destroy us utterly13!"
The boy Fernando, in a moment's wild terror who was ordinarily courageous14 as any, clung to him. "O my son! I would that you were in La Rabida, safe beside Fray15 Juan Perez! My son and my brother Bartholomew!"
Now came to us all scarcity16 of food and a misery17 of sickness. Now two thirds would have mutinied had we not been going back—but we were going back—creeping, crawling back as the tempest would allow us.
Christmas! We remembered our first Christmas in this world, by Guarico in Hispaniola, when the Santa Maria sank. Again we found a harbor, and we lay there between dead and alive, until early January. We sailed and on Epiphany Day entered a river that we knew to be in golden Veragua. The Admiral called it the Bethlehem.
Gold again, gold! Not on the Bethlehem, but on the river of Veragua, not far away, to which the Admiral sent the Adelantado and two long boats filled with our stoutest18 men. They brought back gold, gold, gold!
The cacique of these parts was Quibian, a barbarian19 whom at the last, not the first, we concluded to be true brother of Caonabo.
With threescore of our strongest, the Adelantado pushed again up the river of Veragua, too rough and shallow for our ships. He visited Quibian; he traded for gold; he was taken far inland and from a hill observed a country of the noblest, vale and mountain and Indian smokes. The mountains, the Indians said, were packed with gold. He brought back much gold, Indians bearing it for him in deep baskets that they made.
Quibian paid us a visit, looked sullenly20 around, and left us. Not in the least was he Guacanagari! But neither, quite yet, did he turn into Caonabo.
The Admiral sat pondering, his hands before him between his knees, his gray-blue eyes looking further than the far mountains. Later, on the shore, he and the Adelantado walked up and down under palm trees. The crews watched them, knowing they were planning.
What they planned came forth21 the next day, and it was nothing short of a colony, a settlement upon the banks of the river Bethlehem.
Christopherus Columbus spoke,—tall, powerful, gaunt, white-headed, gray-eyed, trusted because he himself so trusted, suasive, filled with the power of his vision. His frame was growing old, but he himself stayed young. His voice never grew old, nor the gray-blue light from his eyes. Here was gold at last, and Veragua manifestly richer than all Hispaniola; aye, richer than Paria! Behind Veragua ran Ciguarre that was fabulously22 rich, that was indeed India sloping to Ganges. The Indians were friendly enough for all their drum-beating and shell-blowing. Quibian's first frowning aspect had been but aspect. A scarlet23 cloak and a sack full of toys had made all right. There was rest on land, with fruit and maize24 as we saw. Build a fort—leave a ship—divide our force. A half would rest here, first settlers of a golden country with all first settlers' advantage. Half sail with Christopherus Columbus back to Spain—straight to Spain—for supplies and men. He would return, he swore it, with all speed. A ship should be left, and beyond the ship, the Adelantado.—It was for volunteers for the fortress25 and city of Veragua!
In the end eighty men said "We will stay." We began to build. How long since we had built La Navidad!
The River Bethlehem, that had been full when we entered, now was half empty of its waters. The Consolacion, the Juana, and the San Sebastian that were to depart for Spain could not pass. The Admiral hung, fitted to go, but waiting perforce for rains that should lift the ships so they might pass the bar.
Again Juan Lepe was to stay—so surely would the staying need a physician.
"It is March," said the Admiral. "God aiding, I and Fernando shall be back in October at latest."
These Indians seemed to us to have Carib markings. Yet they all professed26 amity27 and continuously brought in gold. We began to build by the fort a storehouse for much gold.
Suddenly we found—Diego Mendez, bold enough and a great wanderer, doing the finding—that Quibian's village up the river of Veragua contained many too, many young men and men in their prime, and that by day and night these continued to pour in. It had—Diego Mendez thought—much the aspect of a camp whose general steadily28 received reenforcement.
Next day came to the Admiral an Indian who betrayed his people. Quibian never meant to have in Veragua a swarm29 of white caciques! When he had about him every young man, he was coming, coming, coming through the woods!
The Admiral sent the Adelantado. That strong man chose fourscore Spaniards, armed them and departed. By boat and through thick forest he reached Quibian's village, descended upon it like a hurricane and seized Quibian, much as long ago—long, long ago it seemed to us—Alonso de Ojeda had seized Caonabo.
Juan Sanchez the pilot held Quibian in the long boat while the Adelantado still wrought30 upon the land. Juan Sanchez was strong and wary31, and watchful32; so they swore were all the Spaniards in the boat. Yet when night was fallen that Indian, bound as he was, broke with a shout from them all and leaped from boat into black river.
They thought he perished, seeing him no more for all their moving about and bringing the boat to the land. Juan Sanchez was certain he sank, bound as he was. With other captives and with a great mass of golden ornaments33, came back to the ships the Adelantado. The Indian camp was broken, dispersed34.
The rains began to fall. The river swelled35; the fort and store place and other houses were builded.
The eighty who were to stay and the something under that number who were to go prepared to say farewell. We went to mass under three palm trees, before our fort on the river Bethlehem. That over, those who were to go went aboard the three ships, and the sails were made, and they began to sing as they passed down the Bethlehem. The Margarita and we watched their going.
They went a league, and then another—we thought they were wholly gone. But out of the river, though the skies were clear, again rushed against them an enemy wind. They lay at anchor in river mouth, waiting on propitiousness36. But we, up the river, thought they were gone. That night, before dawn, Quibian attacked us.
We had several killed, and the Adelantado was hurt in the breast, and many others had their wounds. But we thundered with our cannon37 and we loosed two bloodhounds and we charged. For a time the brown, naked foe38 fought desperately39, but at last he broke. Far streamed five hundred fleeing particles into the gloomy, the deep, the matted forest. Up the river came a long boat, and we found it to hold Diego Tristan and eight men sent by the Admiral with a forgotten word for the Adelantado. Much we rejoiced that the ships were not clean gone!
Diego Tristan took our news. The Adelantado—his hurt was slight—wrote again to the Admiral. Again we said farewell to Diego Tristan. The long boat passed a turn in the Bethlehem; out of our sight. Once we thought we heard a faint and distant shouting, but there was no telling. But in five hours there staggered into fort Juan de Noya who alone lived of that boatful, set upon by Quibian. Diego Tristan dead, and seven men.
All that night we heard in the wood those throbbing40 Indian drums and wild-blowing shells.
They were Caribs, now we were sure, and Quibian lived and preached a holy war. Though we had driven them off, we heard them mustering41 again. If we could not get food—perhaps not water?
Sixty of ours came to the Adelantado. In truth, all might have come, for massacre42, slow or swift, was certain if we stayed in Veragua. I read that the Adelantado, who was never accused of cowardice43 or fickleness44, was himself determined45. The settlement below the golden mines of golden Veragua must wait a little.
We took our wounded and with the Adelantado, turned Mars in these three days, came down to the Bethlehem, to a pebbly46 shore from which the water had shrunken. Here at least was our ship with us, and the river that bore to the sea. Here, for the weather was ferocious47 and Quibian howling around us, we built what shelter we might. Here in much misery we waited days for the long and wild storm to cease. We hoped the Admiral was yet at the mouth of the Bethlehem, but could not do more than hope.
Then came through every peril48 that might be Pedro Ledesma, from the ships. They waited! Break through—come down!
The Margarita could never pass the bar that now the falling water left exposed. We made rafts, we dismantled49 her and took what we could; we left her in Veragua for Quibian to walk her deck and sail her if he might. Through danger in multitude, with our rafts and two boats, with the loss of six men, we went down the Bethlehem. Some of ours wept when they saw the ships, and the Admiral wept when he and the Adelantado met.
Away from Veragua!
Is it only the Spaniards who suffer, and for what at the last, not at the first, did Quibian fight? In that strong raid when we thought Quibian perished had been taken captive brothers and kinsmen50 of that cacique. These were prisoned upon the Juana, to be taken to Spain, shown, made Christian51, perhaps sold, perhaps—who knows?—returned to their land, but never to freedom.
While the Juana tossed where Bethlehem met the sea, these Indians broke in the night time up through hatchway and made for the side to throw themselves over. But the watch gave a great cry and sprang upon them, and other Spaniards came instantly. All but two were retaken. These two, wrenching52 themselves free, sprang away into rough water and dark night, and it is most likely that they drowned, being a mile from shore. But the others were thrust back and down under hatch which then was chained so that they might not again lift it. But in the morning when the captain of the Juana went to look, all, all were dead, having hanged themselves.
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1
foundering
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| v.创始人( founder的现在分词 ) | |
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apothecary
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| n.药剂师 | |
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brew
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| v.酿造，调制 | |
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mutinous
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| adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变 | |
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5
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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6
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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8
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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9
respited
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| v.延期（respite的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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engulfed
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| v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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15
fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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16
scarcity
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| n.缺乏，不足，萧条 | |
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17
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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18
stoutest
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| 粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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19
barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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20
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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21
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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fabulously
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| 难以置信地，惊人地 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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24
maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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amity
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| n.友好关系 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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31
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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33
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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34
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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35
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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36
propitiousness
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37
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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38
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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40
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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41
mustering
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的现在分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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42
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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43
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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44
fickleness
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| n.易变；无常；浮躁；变化无常 | |
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45
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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46
pebbly
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| 多卵石的，有卵石花纹的 | |
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47
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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48
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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49
dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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50
kinsmen
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| n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 ) | |
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51
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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52
wrenching
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| n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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