LETTER FROM COLUMBUS TO LUIS DE SANTANGEL 259
INTRODUCTION 261 The New Islands Discovered 263 Description of their People and Products 265 Description of Española 268 Value of the Discoveries to Spain 268 A Fort built and Garrisoned 269 The Customs of the Inhabitants 270
LETTER FROM COLUMBUS TO FERDINAND AND ISABELLA CONCERNING THE COLONIZATION AND COMMERCE OF ESPAÑOLA 273 The Regulations proposed for Settlements 274 The Regulations for Mining 275 The Regulations for Commerce 276
LETTER OF DR. CHANCA ON THE SECOND VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS 279
INTRODUCTION 281 The Outward Voyage. Stopping at the Canary Islands 283 First Impressions of the Lesser Antilles 285 Intercourse with the Inhabitants 285 Their Cabins; their Arts 286 The Caribbees 287 Indications of Cannibalism 288 Customs of the Caribbees. They Eat their Captives 289 Return of Diego Marquez who had been Lost 291 A Clash with the Caribbees 293 Discovery and Description of Porto Rico 294 Arrival at Española 295 Following the Coast 297 Suspicious Circumstances; Fears for the Spaniards left at Navidad 298 Navidad in Ruins and the Garrison All Dead 300 Vestiges of the Settlement 301 Fixing upon the Site for a New Settlement 302 Columbus visits the Cacique Guacamari 304 Examining Guacamari's Wound 305 Guacamari's Amazement at seeing Horses 305 The Site selected for the New Settlement named Isabella 307 The Food and Clothing of the Natives 308 The Products of the Country 310 Columbus sends out Exploring Parties to Cibao and Niti 312 Conclusion 313
NARRATIVE OF THE THIRD VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS AS CONTAINED IN LAS CASAS'S HISTORY 315
INTRODUCTION 317 The Start. Arrival at Madeira 319 Three Ships despatched direct to Española 320 Columbus goes to the Canary Islands 323 The Lepers' Colony on the Island of Boavista, one of the Cape Verde Islands 324 Columbus at the Island of Santiago 325 He sails Southwest from the Cape Verdes. Intense Heat 327 Signs of Land 327 The Course is changed to the West 328 Discovery of Trinidad 331 August 1, 1498, the Mainland of South America Sighted 332 The Dangers of the Serpent's Mouth 334 Intercourse with Indians of the Mainland 335 Their Appearance and Arms 336 Fauna and Flora 338 Exploring the Gulf of Paria 340 Trading with the Indians 343 Columbus retains Six Indians as Captives 343 Nuggets and Ornaments of Gold 345 Indian Cabins 346 Exploring the Western End of the Gulf 347 Columbus's Reflections upon his Discoveries 348 The Terrors and Perils of the Boca del Drago 354 The Northern Coast of Paria 355 Columbus suffers from Inflammation of the Eyes 357 Columbus begins to believe the Land is Mainland 358 His Reasons for not Exploring It 360 Observations of the Declination of the Needle 363 The Products of the Country 364 Arrival at Santo Domingo, August 31, 1498 366