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While his envoys were absent he had his ships careened and repaired. During this time reports were brought him of the existence of cinnamon-trees, nutmegs, and rhubarb; and his native friends, when he showed them gold and pearls, declared that there were people in an island called Bohio who wore such things round their necks, arms, and ankles.
Every collection of huts had also one of larger dimensions, like a lodge, open at the sides, where the natives used to gather for their public business or amusement. This was called bohio, a word improperly applied to the huts, and used by the Spaniards to designate their villages.
Tearing the hand from her lips for a moment, she cried Cueto's name, but he gave no heed. He was straining his gaze upon the door of the bohio in the immediate expectation of seeing Esteban emerge. He clutched a revolver in his hand, but it was plain from the nerveless way in which he held the weapon that he had little stomach for the adventure.
At last, having decided, he called Juan de la Cosa. "We will go to Bohio." So it was done whereby much was done, the Woman with the distaff spinning fast, fast! As this island lifted out of ocean, we who had said of Cuba, "It is the fairest!" now said, "No, this is the fairest!" It was most beautiful, with mountains and forests and vales and plains and rivers.
We would go eastward, around this point of Asia, since from what all said it must be point, and see what was upon the other side. "They all gesture south! They say 'Babeque Babeque! Bohio!" I asked him, "Why is it that these Indians here seem glad for us to go?" He sighed impatiently, drawing one hand through the other, with him a recurring gesture. "It is the women!
How I would like to cut his throat!" The shade was grateful. O'Reilly dozed. He was awakened by being roughly shaken, and he found the man with the derby hat bending over him. The fellow was excited; his eyes were ringed with white; his expression bespoke the liveliest alarm. Loud voices came from the rear of the bohio. "What's the matter? Spaniards?" Johnnie was on his feet in an instant.
Martin Alonzo Pinzon, learning from the Indians that there was much gold at Bohio, and eager to enrich himself, left the admiral on Wednesday the 21st November, without any stress of weather or other legitimate cause; his ship being always foremost, as the best sailer, he slipped off at night unperceived.
One more island he was yet to see in this marvellous series of discoveries,—the one called by the natives Bohio or Babeque, now known as Hayti, one of the most beautiful islands in the world in the splendor of its tropical vegetation.
The first pink of dawn was now deepening in the east, and as soon as it had grown light enough to see to travel Colonel Cobo prepared to return to his horses. The roof and walls of the bohio had fallen away to ashes, its skeleton of poles and its few pieces of crude furniture alone were smoldering when he called his men together and gave the word to go. "Come, my sweetheart."
At this time Martin Alonzo Pinzon, being informed by certain Indians whom he had concealed in his caravel, that abundance of gold was to be had in the island of Bohio, and blinded by covetousness, he deserted the admiral on Wednesday the 21st of November, without being constrained by any stress of weather, or other necessity whatever, as he could easily have come up with him before the wind.
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