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Ojeda told him that the kings of Spain wore such ornaments, which came from heaven, and always appeared in them at arcitos or solemn dances: But he stated that it was necessary, before Caunabo could put on these splendid ornaments, that he should go along with the Christians and purify himself by bathing in the river Yaqui, about half a league from his residence, after which he should put on the turey or heavenly ornaments, and come back to his subjects on horseback dressed like the king of Spain.
Indeed the natives of Hispaniola held the Spanish metals in such estimation that they applied to them an Indian word, Turey, which seems to have signified anything that descends from heaven.
When, therefore, Ojeda brought these ornaments to Caonabo, and told him they were Biscayan Turey, and that they were a great present from the admiral, and that he would show him how to put them on, and that when they were put on Caonabo should set himself on Ojeda's horse and be shown to his admiring subjects, as, Ojeda said, the kings of Spain were wont to show themselves to theirs, the incautious Indian is said to have fallen entirely into the trap.
The Indians at this time put a greater value on brass and other metals brought from Spain than they did on gold, believing that it came from heaven; and when the bell of the church of Isabella rang, to summon the Christians to prayers, they thought that it actually spoke, calling it turey, which in their language signifies heaven.
Some of them, by desire of Ojeda, informed Caunabo that certain Christians were come from the admiral, whom they named Guamiquini, bringing him a magnificent present of turey, at which he was exceedingly glad.
The poor Indian probably understood all this very imperfectly, but he was easily brought to view the manacles as Turey or a gift from Heaven, and willingly held out his wrists that his guest might adorn them with those strange and splendid bracelets.
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