It was, on the tenth day of January that,
after some delay, Columbus entered again the river of that name.

The people told him where he should find the mines, and were all ready
to send guides with his own people to point them out. He gave to this
river, the name of the River of Belen, and to the port in which he
anchored he gave the name of Santa Maria de Belen, or Bethlehem.

His men discovered the mines, so called, at a distance of eight leagues
from the port. The country between was difficult, being mountainous and
crossed by many streams. They were obliged to pass the river of Veragua
thirty-nine times. The Indians themselves were dexterous in taking out
gold. Columbus added to their number seventy-five men.

In one day's work, they obtained "two or three castellianos" without
much difficulty. A castelliano was a gold coin of the time, and the
meaning of the text is probably that each man obtained this amount. It
was one of the "placers," such as have since proved so productive in
different parts of the world.

Columbus satisfied himself that there was a much larger population
inland. He learned from the Indians that the cacique, as he always calls
the chief of these tribes, was a most important monarch in that region.
His houses were larger than others, built handsomely of wood, covered
with palm leaves.

The product of all the gold collected thus far is stated precisely in
the official register. There were two hundred and twenty pieces of
gold, large and small. Altogether they weighed seventy-two ounces,
seven-eighths of an ounce and one grain. Besides these were twelve
pieces, great and small, of an inferior grade of gold, which weighed
fourteen ounces, three-eighths of an ounce, and six tomienes, a tomiene
weighing one-third part of our drachm. In round numbers then, we will
say that the result in gold of this cruising would be now worth $1,500.

Columbus collected gold in this way, to make his expedition popular at
home, and he had, indeed, mortgaged the voyage, so to speak, by pledging
the pecuniary results, as a fund to bear the expense of a new crusade.
But, for himself, the prime desire was always discovery.

Eventually the Spaniards spent two months in that region, pressing their
explorations in search of gold. And so promising did the tokens seem to
him, that he determined to leave his brother, to secure the country and
work the mines, while he should return to Spain, with the gold he had
collect