[12] Flamingos.

[13] The remarkable whiteness of these three natives might have proceeded
    from the use of white pigments, which, as well as red and black, were
    used by the natives of the West India islands.—­E.

[14] There must be a gross error here in the original translation, as the
    circumstance of towing ships in such shallow water is impossible.  The
    passage ought probably to be thus understood:  “There was not a foot of
    water to spare, and the wind being foul the channel was too narrow
    to turn through, which occasioned the necessity of towing.”  As
    expressed in the text, the boats could not have floated.—­E.

[15] These strong descriptive epithets seem to have been colloquial
    exaggerations of the recounter to Don Ferdinand Columbus.—­E.

[16] Columbus seems now to have changed his course, back again the way be
    came, though not clearly so expressed in the text.—­E.

[17] Probably alluding to the dress of the Spanish priest who had said
    mass, and explanatory of the clothed natives who had been seen in that
    place during this voyage.—­E.

[18] This bread, which is called cassada or cassava in the British West
    Indies, is made from the roots of Manioca pounded or grated, and
    carefully pressed free from its juice, which is alleged to be
    poisonous.  The process will be found minutely described in other parts
    of this collection.—­E.

[19] It is not competent in the bounds of a note to enter upon
    philosophical discussions.  But it may be shortly mentioned that the
    regular evening rains can be easily accounted for upon Dr Huttons
    ingenious theory of rain.  The heated land air loaded to saturation
    with water, by the periodical change of the land and sea breezes,
    meets and mixes with the colder sea air, likewise saturated.  The
    reduced mean temperature of the mixture is no longer able to hold the
    same quantity of water in solution, and the superabundant quantity
    precipitates in rain.  Hence likewise the prodigious rains in all warm
    latitudes at the changes of the monsoon.  The observation of Columbus
    respecting clearing away the woods has been verified in several West
    India islands.—­E.

[20] The longitude of Cadiz is 6 deg.18’ W. from Greenwich.  That of Saono,
    the modern name of Adamanoi, is 68 deg.30’.  The difference between these
    is only 62 deg.12’, or four hours five minutes.  The calculation in the
    text therefore is one hour and eighteen minutes erroneous in point of
    time, and 12 deg.15’ in longitude; and would remove the east end of
    Hispaniola, to long 80 deg.45’ west from Greenwich, considerably beyond
    the west end of Jamaica.—­E.

[21] Our author forgets what he had said a few pages before, that the
    admiral had previously resolved to return to Isabella, on account of
    wanting provisions to continue the voyage.—­E.