creatures on shore, I saw none of any sort, except parrots and lizards;
a boy told me that he saw a great snake. Neither sheep nor goats nor
any other animal did I see; although I have been here a very short time,
that is, half a day, but if there had been any I could not have failed
to see some of them." * * *

Wednesday, October 17. He left the town at noon and prepared to sail
round the island. He had meant to go by the south and southeast. But as
Martin Alonzo Pinzon, captain of the Pinta, had heard, from one of
the Indians he had on board, that it would be quicker to start by the
northwest, and as the wind was favorable for this course, Columbus took
it. He found a fine harbor two leagues further on, where he found some
friendly Indians, and sent a party ashore for water. "During this time,"
he says, "I went (to look at) these trees, which were the most beautiful
things to see which have been seen; there was as much verdure in the
same degree as in the month of May in Andalusia, and all the trees were
as different from ours as the day from the night. And so (were) the
fruits, and the herbs, and the stones and everything. The truth is that
some trees had a resemblance to others which there are in Castile, but
there was a very great difference. And other trees of other sorts
were such that there is no one who could * * * liken them to others of
Castile. * * *

"The others who went for water told me how they had been in their
houses, and that they were very well swept and clean, and their beds
and furniture (made) of things which are like nets of cotton.(*) Their
houses are all like pavilions, and very high and good chimneys.(**)

(*) They are called Hamacas.