found him in bed, apparently suffering
from his wounded thigh, which he showed them in bandages. They judged
from appearances that he was telling them the truth.

He said to them, "by signs as best he could," that since he was thus
wounded, they were to invite the Admiral to come to visit him. As they
were going away, he gave each of them a golden jewel, as each "appeared
to him to deserve it." "This gold," says Dr. Chanca, "is made in very
delicate sheets, like our gold leaf, because they use it for making
masks and to plate upon bitumen. They also wear it on the head and for
earrings and nose-rings, and therefore they beat it very thin as they
only wear it for its beauty and not for its value."

The Admiral decided to go to the cacique on the next day. He was visited
early in the day by his brother, who hurried on the visit.

The Admiral went on shore and all the best people (gente de pro) with
him, "handsomely dressed, as would be suitable in a capital city." They
carried presents with them, as they had already received gold from him.

"When we arrived, we found him lying in his bed, according to their
custom, hanging in the air, the bed being made of cotton like a net. He
did not rise, but from the bed made a semblance of courtesy, as best he
knew how. He showed much feeling, with tears in his eyes, at the death
of the Christians, and began to talk of it, showing, as best he could,
how some died of sickness, and how others had gone to Canoaboa to seek
for the gold mine, and that they had been killed there, and how the
others had been killed in their town."

He presented to the Admiral some gold and precious stones. One of the
accounts says that there were eight hundred beads of a stone called
ciba, one hundred of gold, a golden coronet, and three small calabashes
filled with gold dust. Columbus, in return, made him a present.

"I and a navy surgeon were there," says Dr. Chanca. "The Admiral now
said that we were learned in the infirmities of men, and asked if he
would show us the wound. He replied that it pleased him to do so. I said
that it would be necessary, if he could, for him to go out of the house,
since with the multitudes of people it was dark, and we could not see
well. He did it immediately, as I believe, more from timidity than from
choice. The surgeon came to him and began to take off the bandage. Then
he said to the Admiral that the injury was caused by ciba, that is, by
a stone. When it was unban