h palm-leaves. They were square, and each had its portico, one of
which was decorated with images of serpents tolerably well carved in
wood. Hammocks of cotton netting were hung up, and their utensils were
formed of calabashes or earthenware. There were great quantities of
cotton and many bows and arrows, as also domestic geese and large
parrots of blue, green, white, and scarlet plumage.

Here the Spaniards first met with the anana, or pineapple, with the
fragrance and flavour of which they were delighted. In another house
was the sternpost of a vessel, probably part of a wreck driven across
from the coast of Africa. The voyagers, however, were struck with
horror at the sight of what they took to be human bones and skulls,
convincing them that the island was inhabited by Caribs, supposed to be
cannibals.

Leaving this spot, Columbus sailed some miles along the coast. The boat
landing succeeded in taking and bringing off a boy and several women.
From them he understood that this was one of the islands of the Caribs,
and that it was their custom to make descents on the neighbouring
islands, in order to carry off the youngest and best-looking women, and
to murder and eat the men.

He had just gained this information when it was reported to him that
Diego Marques, the captain of one of the caravels, and eight men were
missing. They had landed in the morning, and strayed into the woods.
The night passed away, and they did not appear. The next morning
parties were sent in quest of them, each with a trumpeter to sound
calls, and guns were fired from the ships.

The searching parties found, as they supposed, human limbs suspended
from the beams of houses, and some declared that they saw the head of a
young man recently killed, while parts of his body were roasting before
a fire.

The natives were seen on shore, looking with wonder at the ships. When
the boats approached, they fled to the woods. Several women, however,
came off, and some were captured. Columbus ordered that they should be
decorated with hawks' bells and other baubles, and sent on shore to
entice off the men. They soon, however, returned to the boats stripped
of their ornaments, imploring to be taken on board again. The greater
portion of the male inhabitants were, they informed the Spaniards, on a
cruise in search of prisoners and booty.

Anxious to continue his course to Hispaniola, Columbus was much annoyed
at the absence of the wanderers.