but cloves (claws), cutting off the first half of the word. In the Spanish tongue serfs are called esclavos, while the stems of cloves are claws. When this transformation of esclavos into clavos was later discovered, everybody derided the partisans of Gomez and their gleeful exultation. Had they only stopped to consider that the celestial exhalations transferred to terrestrial substances adapted to receive them only produce aromatic odours in the countries lying beneath or near to the equator, they would have remembered that Gomez could have found no cloves during the ten months of his voyage. I was writing this appendix when the wheel of fortune— as is usual—gave a turn; so true is it that she never concedes an ounce of honey, to which she does not add as much, or more, gall. The streets of the illustrious city of Toledo echoed with trumpet blasts, the roll of drums, and the piping of flutes in honour of the renewed alliance with the King of Portugal, already brother-in-law and cousin of the Emperor. This is the result of the Emperor's betrothal to the King's sister, after refusing alliance with the young English princess—a thing esteemed by all Castile to be important. In the midst of the festivities, serious and deplorable news, filling the Emperor's heart and those of the Castilians with disgust, was heard. In my book describing the voyage around the world, dedicated to Pope Adrian, I said that the ship called La Trinidad, which accompanied the Victoria, was damaged and had remained behind at the island of Tidor, one of the Moluccas which produces spices; there were seventy men on board that ship besides their officers. I knew all their names, from our account books. The Trinidad had been repaired, loaded with cloves and precious stones, and was on her way to Europe, when she encountered a Portuguese fleet. The captain of this fleet, Jorge de Brito, surprised and conquered it, and took it to Malacca, a place supposed to be the Golden Chersonesus. He was careful to strip the vessel of everything it carried, but the saddest of all to recount is the melancholy fate of the sailors. They encountered such terrific seas that, buffeted by incessant storms, almost all of them perished of hunger and exhaustion. It is said that Jorge de Brito, after the capture of the Trinidad, went to the Moluccas and took possession of our islands, which are seven in number, building a fortress on one of them. He likewise seized everything that had been left on the island for the needs of trade. The produce of those two robberies exceeds in value two hundred thousand ducats. Such at least is the report of the sailors and officers who survived and returned with the Victoria. Cristobal de Haro was the director general of this enterprise for buying spices. He is a man in whom our council had great confidence. He has given me the names of the five ships which accompanied the Victoria, and those of all our sailors down to the humblest members of the crew. He demonstrated to our council, which assembled to hear him, his reasons for estimating our losses at that value, indicating in detail the quantity of spices on board the Victoria, the amount of merchandise they left for buying, either at Maquiana, King Zabazulla's country, which is one of the seven where spices grow, or at Tidor, belonging to another native king and his son, and which is controlled by the administrators and principal lords of both sovereigns. This merchandise had been left in the charge of Juan de Campo, who remained in the archipelago. But Haro made an inventory of the steel and copper blades, the different kinds of hempen and flaxen cloth, pitch, quicksilver, mineral oil, Turkish candles, artists' colours, coral, red umbrellas, hats, mirrors, glass beads, little bells, spoons, and chairs worthy of royalty, not to mention the firearms with their necessary ammunition, which the royal officials in the archipelago, such as the auditor and the treasurer, exchanged for spices to load our vessels. What the Emperor's decision will be is not yet known.1 I think he will hardly disclose it for a few days, because of the renewed alliance with Portugal. Even had twins been born, it would be sufficiently unpleasant to allow such an insult to remain unpunished. I think the affair will be treated first by diplomatic negotiations; but I also hear a piece of news that will not please the King of Portugal. In spite of his good intentions, the Emperor will be unable to conceal his opinion when the owners of the cargoes petition him for satisfaction. To refuse justice to his enemies would be dishonourable. How then can he refuse it to his own subjects? It is said the elder Portuguese do not conceal their fear of seeing the kingdom destroyed by these audacious attacks. They are also excessively arrogant towards the Castilians, without whose products they would perish of hunger, for that kingdom originally began as a small county of Castile. The Castilians therefore foam with rage. They want the Emperor to bring Portugal again under the domination of Castile, as his father, King Philip, once openly declared was his intention. Time will decide what verdict is to be given. Meanwhile, I wish Your Holiness good health, and humbly kiss your feet. 1 The agreement between the Spanish and Portuguese signed in Zaragoza by which Charles V. ceded and sold to the King of Portugal the Spanish possessions in the Moluccas may be found in Navarrete, op. cit.. torn, iv., P- 389 INDEX Abdullah, known as El Zagal, de- Abenamcheios, a cacique, attacks Abibaiba, a cacique, living in the Abraibes, kills Raia, I, 231; and Aburema, the river, I, 273 Aburema, discovery of, I, 323 Acateba, Columbus discovers, I,324 Accursi, Giovanni, of Florence, I, Ada, II, 179; founded by Spaniards, Acosta, cited, note, II, 42, 107 Acuna, auditor of Royal Council, Acuna, Roderigo de, commander Adda, referred to, II, 283 Adelantado, the, see Columbus, Adrian of Utrecht, counsellor to /Eneas, I, 79 Aganeo, or Boinca, I, 274 Agathyrses, war-paint of, I, 143; Aguanil, Spaniards in, II, 10 Aguilar, Geronimo de, story told by, Ahuitzotl, son of Muteczuma, note, H. 115 Aiguitin, the river, I, 324 Airovistus, conquering of, cited, II, Alaman, cited, note, II, 36, 61, 107 Alaminos, Anton, a pilot, II, 6, 27; Alvarado, commander of Badajoz, Albornoz, H, 406 Alcocer, Pedro de, cited, note, I, 36 Alexander VI., on the papal throne, Alexandria, fruits in, II, 308 Alguri, Cansu, reigns in Cairo, I,26 Almazen, Perez, letter to Peter Almeria, in possession of enemies, Alpha, discovery of, I, 92; harbour Alpheus, I, 388 Alta Vela, an island, I, 391 Alvarado, Pedro de, II, 12; Cortes Amaiauna, I, 168 Amaquei, a district in Bainoa, I, 368 Amaquemeca, capital of Chalco, Amecameca, note, II, 88 America, first landing of Spaniards Anacaona, sister of Beuchios Ana- Ascanio, Cardinal, fall of, note, I, "59 Assua, founding of, I, 388 Astapalappa, brother of Mutec- Astapalappa, town of, Cortes de- Asti, I, 32 Atata, monster seen near, II, 377 Atici, description of valley of, I,374 Atiec, a district in Bainoa, I, 368 Atonnea, I, 323 Attabeira, I, 168 Attibinico, I, 88 Attibuni, a district of Bainoa, I, 368 Attibunico, a river, I, 374 Attibunicus, river in Hispaniola, I, 365 Anacauchoa, Beuchios, a cacique Anata, a cacique, I, 406 Andrada, Count Fernando de, Andrin, note, I, 160 Anghera, heights of, I, I; Counts of, Angostora, note, I, 99 Anjou, duchy of, granted to Fred- Anninici, a district in Bainoa, I, 368 Antigua, Blessed Virgin of, I, 74, 391 367 .. „ Arambe, Spaniards visit, II, 261 Arbolazzo, sent to King in behalf Archipelago, Magellan sails Arcimboldo, Giovanni, Archbishop Arethusa, fountain of, I, 388 Argensola, cited, note, II, 292 Argoglio, Alfonzo, secretary to the Arias, Diego, son of Pedro, II, 179; Arias, Pedro, d'Avila, sent to Aristotle, cited, I, 65; note, 159,337 Armenicus, I, 386 Arona, heights of, I, I Arriaga, Luis de, note, I, 107 Atwood Cay, note, I, 60 Aubigny defeated by Andrada, II, Avezac, Pascal d', cited, note, I, 59 Avila, Alfonso d', II, 12, 26; in Avila, II, 241; important fortress Ayllon, Lucas Vasquez, visits Mar- Ayora, Gonzales, royal historio- Ayora, Captain Juan, I, 350 Ayora, Juan de Cordova, treachery of, I. 403 arima, I, 368 B Babbareo, a lake, I, 372 and, II, 241; 257 or Pacencio, 400 of, I, 404 |