iven away their things in many islands where they had been. The
Indian then swam on shore, and two of the natives took him by the arms
and brought him to a house, where they heard what he had to say. When
they were certain that no harm would be done to them they were reassured,
and presently more than sixteen canoes came to the ships with
cotton-thread and other trifles. The Admiral ordered that nothing should
be taken from them, that they might understand that he sought for nothing
but gold, which they call _nucay_.[135-2] Thus they went to and fro
between the ships and the shore all day, and they came to the Christians
on shore with confidence. The Admiral saw no gold whatever among them,
but he says that he saw one of them with a piece of worked silver
fastened to his nose. They said, by signs, that within three days many
merchants from inland would come to buy the things brought by the
Christians, and would give information respecting the king of that land.
So far as could be understood from their signs, he resided at a distance
of four days' journey. They had sent many messengers in all directions,
with news of the arrival of the Admiral. "These people," says the
Admiral, "are of the same appearance and have the same customs as those
of the other islands, without any religion so far as I know, for up to
this day I have never seen the Indians on board say any prayer; though
they repeat the _Salve_ and _Ave Maria_ with their hands raised to
heaven, and they make the sign of the cross. The language is also the
same, and they are all friends; but I believe that all these islands are
at war with the Gran Can, whom they called Cavila, and his province
Bafan. They all go naked like the others." This is what the Admiral says.
"The river," he adds, "is very deep, and the ships can enter the mouth,
going close to the shore. The sweet water does not come within a league
of the mouth. It is certain," says the Admiral, "that this is the
mainland, and that I am in front of Zayto and Guinsay, a hundred leagues,
a little more or less, distant the one from the other.[136-1] It is very
clear that no one before has been so far as this by sea. Yesterday, with
wind from the N.W., I found it cold."

_Friday, 2nd of November_

The Admiral decided upon sending two Spaniards, one named Rodrigo de
Jerez, who lived in Ayamonte, and the other Luis de Torres, who had
served in the household of the Adelantado of Murcia, and had been a Jew,
k