iards were laid, which
were already covered with the grass that had grown over them; and they
all with one voice asserted that Caonabo and Mayreni had killed them; but
notwithstanding all this, we began to hear complaints that one of the
Spaniards had taken three women to himself, and another four; from whence
we drew the inference that jealousy was the cause of the misfortune that
had occurred. On the next morning, as no spot in that vicinity appeared
suitable for our making a settlement, the Admiral ordered a caravel to go
in one direction to look for a convenient locality, while some of us went
with him another way. In the course of our explorations, we discovered a
harbor, of great security, and a very favorable situation for a
settlement; but as it was far from where we wanted to have the gold mine,
the Admiral decided to settle only in some spot which would give us
greater certainty of attaining that object, provided the position of the
land should prove equally convenient. On our return, we found the other
caravel arrived, in which Melchior[303-1] and four or five other
trustworthy men had been exploring with a similar object. They reported
that as they went along the coast, a canoe came out to them in which were
two Indians, one of whom was the brother of Guacamari, and was recognized
by a pilot who was in the caravel. When he asked them "who goes there,"
they replied that Guacamari sent to beg the Spaniards to come on shore,
as he had his settlement near, with nearly fifty houses. The chief men of
the party then went on shore in the boat, proceeded to the place where
Guacamari was, and found him stretched on his bed, complaining of a
severe wound. They conferred with him, and inquired respecting the
Spaniards; his reply was, in accordance with the account already given by
the others, viz.--that they had been killed by Caonabo and Mayreni, who
also had wounded him in the thigh; which he showed to them bandaged up:
on seeing which, they concluded that his statement was correct. At their
departure he gave to each of them a jewel of gold, according to his
estimation of their respective merits. The Indians beat the gold into
very thin plates, in order to make masks of it, and to be able to set it
in bitumen; if it were not so prepared it could not be mounted; other
ornaments they make of it, to wear on the head and to hang in the ears
and nostrils, for these also they require it to be thin; since they set
no store by