which I said it
would be necessary that he should, if possible, go out of the house,
because we could not see well on account of the place being darkened by
the crowd of people; to this he consented, I think more from timidity
than inclination, and left the house leaning on the arm of the Admiral.
After he was seated, the surgeon approached him and began to untie the
bandage; then he told the Admiral that the wound was made with a _ciba_,
by which he meant with a stone. When the wound was uncovered, we went up
to examine it: it is certain that there was no more wound on that leg
than on the other, although he cunningly pretended that it pained him
much. Ignorant as we were of the facts, it was impossible to come to a
definite conclusion. There were certainly many proofs of an invasion by a
hostile people, so that the Admiral was at a loss what to do; he with
many others thought, however, that for the present, and until they could
ascertain the truth, they ought to conceal their distrust; for after
ascertaining it, they would be able to claim whatever indemnity they
thought proper. That evening Guacamari accompanied the Admiral to the
ships, and when they showed him the horses and other objects of interest,
their novelty struck him with the greatest amazement;[305-1] he took
supper on board, and returned that evening to his house. The Admiral
told him that he wished to settle there and to build houses; to which he
assented but said that the place was not wholesome, because it was very
damp: and so it most certainly was.

All this passed through the interpretation of two of the Indians who had
gone to Spain in the last voyage, and who were the sole survivors of
seven who had embarked with us; five died on the voyage, and these but
narrowly escaped. The next day we anchored in that port: Guacamari sent
to know when the Admiral intended leaving, and was told that he would do
so on the morrow. The same day Guacamari's brother, and others with him,
came on board, bringing gold to barter: on the day of our departure also
they bartered a great quantity of gold. There were ten women on board, of
those who had been taken in the Caribbee islands, principally from
Boriquen, and it was observed that the brother of Guacamari spoke with
them; we think that he told them to make an effort to escape that night;
for certainly during our first sleep they dropped themselves quietly into
the water, and went on shore, so that by the time they