BAY ISLAND S.

CHAPTER XXVII.

DISCOVERY-SPANISH FORAYS-DESCENTS OF THE PIRATES -REPORT OF DON FRANCISCO DE AVILA-DEPOPULATION -SEIZURE BY THE ENGLISH-RECAPTURE-TREATIES OF 1783-86-SUBSEQUENT AGGRESSIONS-FINAL SEIZURE AND ORGANIZATION AS A COLONY-PRESENT CONDITION.

*

IN the Bay of Honduras, within sight of the north

ern coast of the republic of the same name, is a group of islands, which were called by the Spaniards "Las Guanaxas." Their names are Guanaja (sometimes called Bonacca), Roatan (anciently Guayama), Utila, and a number of small dependent islands and coral cays. Guanaja, the easternmost of the group, was discovered by Columbus in his fourth and last voyage, and from its shores he for the first time descried the American continent. From the number of pine-trees upon it, he named it the Isle of Pines. He reached the island July 30th, 1505, and sent ashore his brother, Don Bartolome, who there found a large canoe, "as long as a galleon," covered with an awning, and laden with commodities, such as cloths of cotton of various colors, a kind of jacket without sleeves, swords made by inserting flints in the edges of flat pieces of wood (forming the weapon called by the an

t

* For a general account of the physical character and the productions of these islands, see Chapter vii.

cient Mexicans mahquahuitl), copper axes, crucibles for melting copper, and beans of cacao, "which were used as money." Diego de Porras, who accompanied Columbus, describes the island as well peopled, and the inhabitants of "good stature, and warlike." They were shown gold, and pointed out the main land, the mountains of which were within sight, as the place where it could be found. Columbus took one of them, "an old man named Jumbe, who seemed to be most discreet," and set sail for the continent, landing for the first time on its shores at a point which he called Punta de Caxinas, now Punta Castilla, on the 14th of August of the same year. The Indian Jumbe, it may be observed, is called "a merchant" in the chronicles, and Herrera ventures the remark that he was returning from Yucatan when discovered by Columbus. That communication was kept up between these islands and the main land of Honduras is certain; and there are good reasons for believing that the natives of the islands, and those of the country around the port of Truxillo, pertained to the same stock, and spoke a common language.

For thirteen years after their discovery we hear no more of these islands. But with the settlement of Cuba there was created a demand for slaves greater than could be supplied by the reduction of the natives, and the Spaniards began to make descents on the adjacent islands, and on the main land, for the capture of prisoners, who were sold as slaves. Expeditions were regularly fitted out for this purpose, which literally depopulated the entire coast of Yucatan, by driv ing the terrified Indians into the interior, whence they never returned. Hence the desolation and solitude which reigned on that coast during the succeeding century, and which so astonished the explorers of that era.

In 1516, according to Herrera, a ship and tender were fitted out from Santiago de Cuba for the island of Guanaja, where the expedition landed successfully, and captured a considerable number of Indians. The vessels were filled up with provisions from Guayama (Roatan), and returned to Cuba. On reaching port, the Spaniards, leaving nine of their number on guard, went on shore to celebrate their success. They had hardly landed when the Indians forced open the hatches, overpowered the guard, and, without chart or compass, set sail and returned to their homes. "When the Spaniards on shore saw them sailing away," the chronicler quaintly observes, "they shouted and gesticulated as if they had lost their senses, but in vain.' The Indians found a bergantine at the islands, with a force of twenty-five Spaniards, lying in wait for prisoners. These the Indians at once attacked with so much vigor that the bergantine made a precipitate retreat to Darien.

99

These events created a great excitement in Cuba, and the survivors of the expedition, with the aid of the governor of the island, resolved on revenge, fitted out two larger vessels, well manned and equipped, for a descent on Guanaja. When they reached the island, they found that the vessel which the Indians had captured had been burned. They nevertheless landed, and had several severe encounters with the natives, capturing a large number. They next sailed to Utila, where they were more successful, taking altogether more than five hundred prisoners, whom they put below deck, fastening the hatches above them. Forgetful of their former misfortunes, or over-confident of their present strength, most of them again went on shore for a carouse. Indians of one of the vessels took this opportunity to

The

rise, and, breaking open the hatches, soon cleared the ship, killing or drowning the guard and entire crew. In attempting to land, however, the Spaniards, hurrying on board the other vessel, bore down on them, and a bloody battle ensued, which lasted for upward of two hours. Some of the Indians escaped, but most were recaptured, and the Spaniards sailed for Cuba with 400 slaves and 20,000 dollars in gold, which they had found on the islands.

Subsequently, under license from the governors of Cuba, these forays were resumed, and old Bernal Diaz tells us that he was concerned in one of the expeditions before joining Cortez. He says:

"We purchased two vessels of considerable burden; the third was given to us by Diego Velasquez on condition that we should first invade the Guanaja Islands, and bring him thence three cargoes of Indians for slaves, which he would consider as an equivalent for the vessel."

When Cortez reached Truxillo, in Honduras, in 1526, he found that some of the islands had become entirely deserted in consequence of these incursions. The natives who remained sent messengers to ask his protection; and hearing that new expeditions were fitting out in Cuba and Jamaica, he at once dispatched a vessel to order them away, notwithstanding they had a license from the Governor of Cuba.

From this period forward, for nearly a century, we hear little of these islands. The attention of Spain was absorbed in broader and grander fields of enterprise and glory in Mexico, Guatemala, and Peru. The islands appear to have been quietly occupied by their inhabitants, and governed by the authorities of Honduras as dependencies of the port of Truxillo.

In the