ke those of Spain, jumped into the boat, this being the
first time they had seen fish resembling the fish of Castile. The
sailors caught and killed others and soles and other fish like those
of Castile. Walking a short distance inland, the Admiral found much
land under cultivation, and heard the singing of nightingales and
other birds of Castile. Five men were seen, but they would not stop,
running away. The Admiral found myrtles and other trees and plants,
like those of Castile, and so also were the land and mountains.[172-2]

_Saturday, 8th of December_

In this port there was heavy rain, with a fresh breeze from the north.
The harbor is protected from all winds except the north; but even this
can do no harm whatever, because there is a great surf outside, which
prevents such a sea within the river as would make a ship work on her
cables. After midnight the wind veered to N.E., and then to east, from
which winds this port is well sheltered by the island of Tortuga, distant
36 miles.[172-3]

_Sunday, 9th of December_

To-day it rained, and the weather was wintry, like October Castile. No
habitations had been seen except a very beautiful house in the Puerto de
S. Nicolas, which was better built than any that had been in other parts.
"The island is very large" says the Admiral: "it would not be much if it
has a circumference of 200 leagues. All the parts he had seen were well
cultivated. He believed that the villages must be at a distance from the
sea, whither they went when the ships arrived; for they all took to
flight, taking everything with them, and they made smoke-signals, like a
people at war."[TN-2] This port has a width of a thousand paces at its
entrance, equal to a quarter of a league. There is neither bank nor reef
within, and there are scarcely soundings close in shore. Its length,
running inland, is 3000 paces, all clean, and with a sandy bottom; so
that any ship may anchor in it without fear, and enter it without
precaution. At the upper end there are the mouths of two rivers, with the
most beautiful champaign country, almost like the lands of Spain: these
even have the advantage; for which reasons the Admiral gave the name of
the said island Isla Espanola.[173-1]

_Monday, 10th of December_

It blew hard from the N.E., which made them drag their anchors half a
cable's length. This surprised the Admiral, who had seen that the
anchors had taken good hold of the ground. As he saw that the wind wa