his dainty
rubbing of his hands with herbs after he had eaten. After the repast
Columbus gave a little demonstration of bow-and-arrow shooting and the
firing of lombards and muskets, all of which astonished and impressed the
natives.

The afternoon was spent in deciding on a site for the fortress which was
to be constructed; and Columbus had no difficulty in finding volunteers
among the crews to remain in the settlement. He promised to leave with
them provisions of bread and wine for a year, a ship's boat, seeds for
sowing crops, and a carpenter, a caulker, a gunner, and a cooper. Before
the day was out he was already figuring up the profit that would arise
out of his misfortune of the day before; and he decided that it was the
act of God which had cast his ship away in order that this settlement
should be founded. He hoped that the settlers would have a ton of gold
ready for him when he came back from Castile, so that, as he had said in
the glittering camp of Santa Fe, where perhaps no one paid very much heed
to him, there might be such a profit as would provide for the conquest of
Jerusalem and the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre. After all, if he was
greedy for gold, he had a pious purpose for its employment.

The last days of the year were very busy ones for the members of the
expedition. Assisted by the natives they were building the fort which,
in memory of the day on which it was founded, Columbus called La
Villa-de la Navidad. The Admiral spent much time with King Guacanagari,
who "loved him so much that it was wonderful," and wished to cover him
all over with gold before he went away, and begged him not to go before
it was done. On December 27th there was some good news; a caravel had
been seen entering a harbour a little further along the coast; and as
this could only mean that the Pinta had returned, Columbus borrowed a
canoe from the king, and despatched a sailor in it to carry news of his
whereabouts to the Pinta. While it was away Guacanagari collected all
the other kings and chiefs who were subject to him, and held a kind of
durbar. They all wore their crowns; and Guacanagari took off his crown
and placed it on Columbus's head; and the Admiral, not to be outdone,
took from his own neck "a collar of good bloodstones and very beautiful
beads of fine colours; which appeared very good in all parts, and placed
it upon the King; and he took off a cloak of fine scarlet cloth which he
had put on that