gain their confidence, the Admiral ordered some European articles to be distributed gratuitously amongst them.  These they refused to accept, by signs, for nothing they said was intelligible.  They suspected the Spaniards of setting a trap for them in offering these presents, and refused to accept their gifts.  They left everything that was given them on the shore.[7] Such are the courtesy and generosity of these people of Cariai, that they would rather give than receive.

[Note 6:  Quiribiri.  Columbus arrived there on September 25th.]

[Note 7:  Suspicion and mistrust were mutual, for Columbus thought the natives were practising magic when they cast perfumes before them, as they cautiously advanced towards him; he afterwards described them as powerful magicians.]

They sent two young girls, virgins of remarkable beauty, to our men, and gave it to be understood that they might take them away.  These young girls, like all the other women, wore waist-cloths made of bandelets of cotton, which is the costume of the women of Cariai.  The men on the contrary go naked.  The women cut their hair, or let it grow behind and shave the forehead; then they gather it up in bands of white stuff and twist it round the head, just as do our girls.  The Admiral had them clothed and gave them presents, and a bonnet of red wool stuff for their father; after which he sent them away.  Later all these things were found upon the shore, because he had refused their presents.  Two men, however, left voluntarily with Columbus, in order to learn our language and to teach it to their own people.

The tides are not very perceptible on that coast.  This was discovered by observing the trees growing not far from the shore and on the river banks.  Everybody who has visited these regions agrees on this point.  The ebb and flow are scarcely perceptible, and only affect a part of the shores of the continent, and likewise of all the islands.  Columbus relates that trees grow in the sea within sight of land, drooping their branches towards the water once they have grown above the surface.  Sprouts, like graftings of vines, take root and planted in the earth they, in their turn, become trees of the same evergreen species.  Pliny has spoken of such trees in the second book of his natural history, but those he mentions grew in an arid soil and not in the sea.

The same animals we have above described exist in Cariai.  There is, however, one of a totally different kind, which resembles a large monkey, but is provided with a much larger and stronger tail.  Hanging by this tail, it swings to and fro three or four times, and then jumps from tree to tree as though it were flying.[8] One of our archers shot one with his arrow, and the wounded monkey dropped onto the ground and fiercely attacked the man who had wounded it.  The latter defended himself with his sword and cut off the monkey’s arm, and despite its desperate efforts, captured it.  When brought in contact