Palos--Pinzon in
the _Pinta_ arrives--Dies of shame and grief--Columbus received with due
honour by Ferdinand and Isabella--Triumphal entrance into Barcelona--His
discovery excites the enterprise of the English.

After a brief stay among the happy and simple-minded natives, the
weather becoming favourable, Columbus again attempted to discover the
island of Babique. On his way he fell in with an island, to which, on
account of the number of turtles seen there, he gave the name of
Tortugas. Meeting with contrary winds, he returned to Hispaniola, and
on the way fell in with an Indian in a canoe. Having taken the man and
his frail barque on board, he treated him kindly and set him on shore at
Hispaniola, near a river known as Puerto de Paz.

The Indian gave so favourable a report of the treatment he had received,
that a cacique in the neighbourhood, and some of his people, visited the
ships. They were handsomer than any yet met with, and of a gentle and
peaceable disposition. Several of them wore ornaments of gold, which
they readily exchanged for trifles.

Another young cacique shortly afterwards appeared, carried on a litter
borne by four men, and attended by two hundred of his subjects. He was
received on board, and, Columbus being at dinner, he came down with two
of his councillors, who seated themselves at his feet. He merely tasted
whatever was given to him, and then sent it to his followers.

Dinner being over, he presented to the Admiral two pieces of gold, and a
curiously-worked belt, evidently the wampum still employed by the North
American Indians as a token of peace. Columbus, in return, gave him a
piece of cloth, several amber beads, coloured shoes, and, showing him a
Spanish coin with the heads of the King and Queen, endeavoured to
explain to him the power and grandeur of his sovereigns, as well as the
standard of the cross; but these apparently failed to have any effect on
the mind of the savage chieftain. Columbus also had a large cross
erected in the centre of the village, and, from the respect the Indians
paid to it, he argued that it would be easy to convert them to
Christianity.

Again sailing on the 20th of December, the expedition anchored in the
Bay of Acul. Here the inhabitants received them with the greatest
frankness. They appeared to have no idea of traffic, but freely gave
everything they possessed, though Columbus ordered that articles should
be given in exchange for all received