abo had invited them to a feast. It was spread
in three houses, and they were divided so, and around each Spaniard was
put a ring of Indians. They were eating and drinking. Caonabo entered
the first house, and his coming made the signal. Escobedo and Pedro
Gutierrez were in this house. They raised a shout, "Undone, Spaniards!"
But though they were heard in the other houses--these houses being
nothing more than booths--it was to no use. There followed struggle and
massacre; finally Gutierrez and Escobedo and eight men lay dead. But
certain Indians were also killed and among them a son of Caonabo.

It was July. We began to long toward the Admiral's return. A man among
us went melancholy mad, watching the sea, threatening the rain when it
came down and hid the sea, and the Admiral might go by! At last he threw
himself into ocean and was drowned. Another man was bitten by a serpent,
and we could not save him. We were twelve Spaniards in La Navidad. We
rested friends with Guarico, though now they held us to be nothing more
than demigods. And indeed by now we were ragged!

Then, in a night, it came.

Guacanagari again appeared. It had reached him from up the river that
Caonabo was making pact with the cacique of Marien and that the
two meant to proceed against us. Standing, he spoke at length and
eloquently. If he rested our friend, it might end in his having for
foes Maguana and Marien. There had been long peace, and Guarico did not
desire war. Moreover, Caonabo said that it was idle to dread Caribs
and let in the mighty strangers! He said that all pale men, afraid of
themselves so that they covered themselves up, were filled with evil
_zemes_ and were worse than a thousand Caribs! But Caonabo was a
mocker and a hard-of-heart! Different was Guacanagari. He told us how
different. It all ended in great hope that Caonabo would think better of
it.

We kept watch and ward. Yet we could not be utterly cooped within La
Navidad. Errands must be done, food be gathered. More than that, to seem
to Guarico frightened, to cry that we must keep day and night behind
wall with cannon trained, notwithstanding that Caonabo might be asleep
in the mountains of Cibao, would be but to mine our own fame, we who,
for all that had passed, still seemed to this folk mighty, each of us
a host in himself! And as nothing came out of the forest, and no more
messengers of danger, they themselves had ceased to fear, being like
children in this wise. And