Here, off Point
Arenal, the three ships rested at anchor, and now there
came to us from Holy Island a big canoe, filled with Indians.
As they came near the _Esperanza_ we saw that they
were somewhat lighter in hue than those Indians to whom
we were used. Moreover they wore bright-colored loin
cloths, and twists of white or colored cotton about their
heads, like slight turbans, and they carried not only bows
and arrows to which we were used, but round bucklers to
which we were not used. They looked at us in amazement,
but they were ready for war.
We invited them with every gesture of amity, holding
out glass beads and hawk bells, but they would not come
close to us. As they hung upon the blue water out of the
shadow of the ship, the Admiral would have our musicians
begin loudly to play. But when the drums began, the fife
and the castanets, the canoe started, quivered, the paddlers
dipped, it raced back to that shore whence it came, that shore
that we thought island.
"Lighter than Haytiens!" exclaimed the Admiral. "I
have thought that as we neared the Equator we should find
them black!"
Afterwards he expanded upon this. "Jayme Ferrer thinks
as I think, that the nearer we come to the Equator the more
precious grow all things, the more gold, the more diamonds,
rubies and emeralds, the more prodigal and delicious the
spices! The people are burnt black, but they grow gentler
and more wise, and under the line they are makers of white
magic.
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