nor and his people
departed, they were laden with gifts by their generous entertainers,
who also accompanied them far on their way. This episode will perhaps
serve better to give us a just insight into the condition and
character of the aborigines of Cuba at that early period than any
amount of detailed description possibly could.

These aborigines, according to Las Casas, had no tradition even,
touching their own origin, and when asked about it only shook their
heads and pointed to the sky. Antiquarians have endeavored to draw
some reliable or at least reasonable deductions from the collection of
bones and skeletons found in the mountain caves of the island, but no
conclusion worthy of record has ever been arrived at. Still, upon
these evidences some scientists pin their faith that Cuba was a
portion of the primitive world. Speaking of these caves, there are
many subterranean openings on the island, down which rivers of
considerable size abruptly disappear, not again to be met with, though
it is reasonably presumed that they find their way through the rocks
and soil to the sea-coast.

During the ten years subsequent to its discovery, Columbus visited and
partially explored the island at four different times, the last being
in 1502, four years previous to his death, which took place at
Valladolid in 1506. It seems singular to us that his investigations
left him still ignorant of the fact that Cuba was an island, and not a
part of a new continent. This conviction remained with him during his
lifetime. It was not until 1511 that the Spaniards commenced to
colonize the island, when Diego Columbus, then Governor of San
Domingo, sent an expedition of three hundred men for the purpose,
under the command of Diego Velasquez, whose landing was disputed by
the natives. A period of ten years had served to open their eyes to
Spanish lust and lore of gold, and from having at first regarded them
as superior beings, entitled to their obedience, they were finally
thus driven to fight them in self-defense. But what could naked
savages, armed only with clubs and spears, accomplish against
Europeans, trained soldiers, furnished with firearms, protected by
plate armor, and accompanied by bloodhounds,--men who had learned the
art of war by fighting successfully with the valiant Moors? The
natives were at once overpowered and hundreds were slaughtered. From
that time forth they became the slaves of their conquerors; a fact
which reconcile