lands, the most beautiful in the world, and very populous." The lands in
the island of Trinidad he had previously compared to Valencia, in Spain,
during the month of March. It is also noticeable that he had observed that
the fields were cultivated. Of the people, he says, "They are all of good
stature, well made, and of very graceful bearing, with much and smooth
hair;" and he mentions that on their heads they wore the beautiful Arab
head-dress (called keffeh), made of worked and coloured handkerchiefs,
which appeared in the distance as if they were silken.

The description given by Columbus of the natives whom he encounters in his
voyages is almost always favourable. Indeed, the description of any man or
thing depends as much on the person describing, as on the thing or person
described. Those little differences in look or dress, which excite the
ready mockery of the untravelled rustic, appear very slight indeed to the
man who, like Columbus or Las Casas, has seen many lands, and travelled
over many minds. The rude Spanish common soldier perceived a far greater
difference between himself and the Indian, than did the most accomplished
man who visited the Indies, when he made to himself a similar comparison.
Occasionally, in a narrow nature, however cultivated, the commonest
prejudices hold their ground; but, in general, knowledge sees behind and
beyond disgust, and suffices to conquer it.


THE EARTHLY PARADISE.

Columbus, however, found the men, the country, and the products, equally
admirable. It is somewhat curious that he does not mention his discovery
of pearls to the Catholic monarchs, and he afterwards makes a poor excuse
for this. The real reason I conjecture to have been a wish to preserve
this knowledge to himself, that the fruits of this enterprise might not be