nformation. He
was struck by the sound of the name. It resembled that of Mangi, the
richest province of the Grand Khan bordering the ocean. He understood
the Indians to say that it was inhabited by people who had tails, and
wore garments to conceal them. He recollected that Sir John Mandeville
had recorded a story to the same effect as current among certain naked
tribes, who could not conceive that people would wear clothes unless to
conceal some defect. He flattered himself, therefore, that he should
soon come to the rich province of Mangi and the long-robed inhabitants
of the empire of Tartary. He therefore sailed on, animated by one of
the pleasing illusions of his imagination, along a coast where, for
thirty-five leagues, the navigation is unembarrassed by banks or
islands. The shores were thickly populated. As the vessels glided by,
the natives came off in their canoes to offer fruits and other
productions of the land. Often too the sound of their loud music could
be heard, as they celebrated the arrival of the white men.

It is sad to think that this whole district was soon depopulated, the
simple inhabitants destroyed by the ruthless hand of the cruel and
bigoted Spaniard. Again the vessels were entangled among sand-banks,
and the water appeared as white as milk. This appearance was produced
by fine sand raised from the bottom by the agitation of the waves and
currents, but the seamen, unable to account for it, entreated that they
might return to the east. Columbus, however, would not consent to
relinquish his voyage, believing, as he did, that he was on the eve of a
brilliant discovery. The caravel was sent ahead to explore. Only by
the greatest caution, toil, and peril did he succeed in making his way
through the narrow channels.

At length, with a fair wind, he steered towards some mountains seen
rising close to the coast, and came to an anchor near a beautiful grove
of palm-trees. Here a party was sent on shore to obtain wood and water.
While they were thus employed an archer, who had gone into the forest
with his crossbow in search of game, came hurrying back, declaring that
he had seen, through an open glade, a man in a long white dress, two
others following in white tunics reaching to their knees, their
complexions as fair as those of Europeans. Behind these appeared many
more, to the number of thirty, armed with clubs and lances. They gave
no signs, he confessed, of hostile intentions, t