The commander then gave orders to man the armed boats, and then made to
shore. As they approached the land the Spaniards saw about a hundred
natives inviting them, by signs of friendship, to land and go to them,
but it was not practicable to make good their landing, the waves broke
with such fury upon the rocks, that all their efforts proved ineffectual.

The enterprise was abandoned with the more regret, as the fleet began to
be in want of fresh water, and they had come to the sad conclusion that
they had nothing to do but to return, when a young sailor, full of fire
and courage, braving the danger, and generously devoting himself for the
honor of the expedition, and the preservation of his companions, stripped
off his clothes, threw himself into the sea, and swam to the rocks.

The natives, struck by this act of courage, went into the water to his
assistance, took him in their arms, embraced him affectionately, and
received him with all manners of caresses, which his gratitude abundantly
returned.

His example was soon imitated by several Spaniards, who passed the
breakers, and were received by the islanders with the same testimonies of
sensibility and affection. These brave savages were all armed: some
carried lances of twenty-five or thirty palms in length; some a sort of
sabres, and others stone-headed clubs; all these weapons were of wood.

These islanders were tall, with dark brown skins and bodies well
proportioned; their habitations were scattered irregularly on the
sea-shore, among palms and other trees which abounded in the island. On
the fruits of these, together with the produce of their fishing, the
inhabitants subsisted.