hawks'-bells. [142]

On the following day, the boats proceeded to the mainland at the bottom of
the bay. The country around was high and rough, and the villages were
generally perched on the heights. They met with ten canoes of Indians,
their heads decorated with garlands of flowers, and coronets formed of the
claws of beasts and the quills of birds;[143] most of them had plates of
gold about their necks, but refused to part with them. The Spaniards
brought two of them to the admiral to serve as guides. One had a plate of
pure gold worth fourteen ducats, another an eagle worth twenty-two ducats.
Seeing the great value which the strangers set upon this metal, they
assured them it was to be had in abundance within the distance of two
days' journey; and mentioned various places along the coast, whence it
was procured, particularly Veragua, which was about twenty-five leagues
distant. [144]

The cupidity of the Spaniards was greatly excited, and they would gladly
have remained to barter, but the admiral discouraged all disposition of
the kind. He barely sought to collect specimens and information of the
riches of the country, and then pressed forward in quest of the great
object of his enterprise, the imaginary strait.

Sailing on the 17th of October, from this bay, or rather gulf, he began to
coast this region of reputed wealth, since called the coast of Veragua;
and after sailing about twelve leagues, arrived at a large river, which
his son Fernando calls the Guaig. Here, on the boats being sent to land,
about two hundred Indians appeared on the shore, armed with clubs, lances,
and swords of palm-wood. The forests echoed with the sound of wooden
drums, and the blasts of conch shells, their usual war signals. They
rushed into the sea up to their waists, brandishing their weapons, and