carpenter could not have proportioned them
better."

On the nineteenth the course was north-northeast; on the twenty-first
they took a course south, a quarter southwest, seeking in these changes
the island of "Babeque," which the Indians had spoken of as rich with
gold. On the day last named Pinzon left the Admiral in the Pinta, and
they did not meet again for more than a month.

Columbus touched at various points on Cuba and the neighboring islands.
He sought, without success, for pearls, and always pressed his inquiries
for gold. He was determined to find the island of Bohio, greatly to the
terror of the poor Indians, whom he had on board: they said that its
natives had but one eye, in the middle of their foreheads, and that they
were well armed and ate their prisoners.

He landed in the bay of Moa, and then, keeping near the coast, sailed
towards the Capo del Pico, now called Cape Vacz. At Puerto Santo he
was detained some days by bad weather. On the fourth of December he
continued his eastward voyage, and on the next day saw far off the
mountains of Hayti, which was the Bohio he sought for.

CHAPTER VI. -- DISCOVERY OF HAYTI OR HISPANIOLA

--THE SEARCH FOR GOLD--HOSPITALITY AND INTELLIGENCE OF THE
NATIVES--CHRISTMAS DAY--A SHIPWRECK--COLONY TO BE FOUNDED--COLUMBUS
SAILS EAST AND MEETS MARTIN PINZON--THE TWO VESSELS RETURN TO EUROPE
--STORM--THE AZORES--PORTUGAL--HOME.

On the sixth of December they crossed from the eastern cape of Cuba
to the northwestern point of the island, which we call Hayti or San
Domingo. He says he gave it this name because "the plains appeared to
him almost exactly like those of Castile, but yet more beautiful."

He coasted eastward along the northern side of the island, hoping that
it might be the continent, and always inquiring for gold when he landed;
but the Indians, as before, referred him to yet another land, still
further south, which they still called Bohio. It was not surrounded by
water, they said. The word "caniba," which is the origin of our word
"cannibal," and refers to the fierce Caribs, came often into their talk.
The sound of the syllable can made Columbus more sure that he was now
approaching the dominions of the Grand Khan of eastern Asia, of whom
Marco Polo had informed Europe so fully.

On the twelfth of the month, after a landing in which a cross had been
erected, three sailors went inland, pursuing the Indians. They captured
a young woman whom they brought