Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 4, 2025
In this Espanola, and in the best district, where are gold mines, and, on the other side, from thence to terra firma, as well as from thence to the Great Khan, where everything is on a splendid scale I have taken possession of a large town, to which I gave the name of La Navidad, and have built a fort in it, in every respect complete.
A score of Indians warded us, mighty strangers in bonds, and we heard the rest up at the fort where they were searching and pillaging. Guarico, and the men there? We found that out when at last they were done with La Navidad and they and we were put on the march. We came to where had been Guarico, and truly for long we had smelled the burning of it, as we had heard the crying and shouting.
The fortress and harbour were named La Navidad. Columbus chose thirty-nine of those who volunteered to remain, charged them to be circumspect and friendly with the natives, and set sail for Spain.
He added that the province had been invaded by two neighbouring kings who had burned many of the native houses. This news, although grave, was a relief from the dreadful uncertainty that had prevailed in the early part of the night, and the Admiral's company, somewhat consoled, took a little sleep. In the morning a party was sent ashore to La Navidad.
This attended to, the converted Indian was to rejoin the ship at La Navidad, where Columbus would richly reward him for his services.
La Navidad, or The Nativity, he named the fort, in remembrance of the day of the wreck, and when he came back in 1493 he hopefully expected to find its garrison awaiting him, with a rich treasure in the precious yellow metal. He reached the spot to find the fort a ruin and the garrison a remembrance only. They had been attacked by the Indians and massacred during the absence of the admiral.
The two ships were to have joined at Cape Lucas, expecting to meet us off Cape Corientes or Navidad.
Hence it is remarkable that four or five of the fossil shells from Navidad, namely, Voluta alta, Turritella Patagonica, Trochus collaris, Venus meridionalis, perhaps Natica solida, and perhaps the large oyster from Coquimbo, are considered by Mr. Sowerby as identical with species from Santa Cruz and P. Desire. M. d'Orbigny, however, admits the perfect identity only of the Trochus.
When it was found I watched him gather plants from beneath it and scrape bits off its bark into a small calabash. I understood that it was good for fever, and later I borrowed from him and found that he had grounds for what he said. La Navidad and Guarico neighbored each other.
They stopped two days at a harbor which they called Monte Christi, to see if it were a suitable place for a town, for the Admiral did not feel altogether satisfied with the place where the settlement of La Navidad had been made on the first voyage. But it is all an inundated region, and very unfit to live in. This was the first day.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking