CHAPTER II

THE EARTHLY PARADISE

When Columbus weighed anchor on the 12th of November he took with him six
captive Indians. It was his intention to go in search of the island of
Babeque, which the Indians alleged lay about thirty leagues to the
east-south-east, and where, they said, the people gathered gold out of the
sand with candles at night, and afterwards made bars of it with a hammer.
They told him this by signs; and we have only one more instance of the
Admiral's facility in interpreting signs in favour of his own beliefs.
It is only a few days later that in the same Journal he says, "The people
of these lands do not understand me, nor do I nor any other person I have
with me understand them; and these Indians I am taking with me, many
times understand things contrary to what they are." It was a fault at
any rate not exclusively possessed by the Indians, who were doubtless
made the subject of many philological experiments on the part of the
interpreter; all that they seemed to have learned at this time were
certain religious gestures, such as making the Sign of the Cross, which
they did continually, greatly to the edification of the crew.

In order to keep these six natives in a good temper Columbus kidnapped
"seven women, large and small, and three children," in order, he alleged,
that the men might conduct themselves better in Spain because of having
their "wives" with them; although whether these assorted women were
indeed the wives of the kidnapped natives must at the best be a doubtful
matter. The three children, fortunately, had their father and mother