captain landed, but the people who occupied them escaped into the forest as soon as they saw the strangers.  On entering the huts they found two large parrots (guacamayos) entirely different from those seen until then by the Spaniards, much cotton, spun and ready for spinning, and other articles, bringing away a little of each, “especially,” says the doctor, “four or five bones of human arms and legs.”

From this the Admiral concluded that he had found the islands inhabited by the redoubtable Caribs, of whom he had heard on his first voyage, and who were said to eat human flesh.  The general direction in which these islands were situated had been pointed out to him by the natives of Guanahani and the Espanola; hence, he had steered a southwesterly course on this his second voyage, “and,” says the doctor, “by the goodness of God and the Admiral’s knowledge, we came as straight as if we had come by a known and continuous route.”

Having found a convenient port and seen some groups of huts, the inhabitants of which fled as soon as they perceived the ships, the Admiral gave orders that the next morning early parties of men should go on shore to reconnoiter.  Accordingly some captains, each with a small band of men, dispersed.  Most of them returned before noon with the tangible results of their expeditions; one party brought a boy of about fourteen years of age, who, from the signs he made, was understood to be a captive from some other island; another party brought a child that had been abandoned by the man who was leading it by the hand when he perceived the Spaniards; others had taken some women; and one party was accompanied by women who had voluntarily joined them and who, on that account, were believed to be captives also.  Captain Diego Marquiz with six men, who had entered the thickest part of the forest, did not return that night, nor the three following days, notwithstanding the Admiral had sent Alonzo de Ojeda with forty men to explore the jungle, blow trumpets, and do all that could be done to find them.  When, on the morning of the fourth day, they had not returned, there was ground for concluding that they had been killed and eaten by the natives; but they made their appearance in the course of the day, emaciated and wearied, having suffered great hardships, till by chance they had struck the coast and followed it till they reached the ships.  They brought ten persons, with them—­women and boys.

During the days thus lost the other captains collected more than twenty female captives, and three boys came running toward them, evidently escaping from their captors.  Few men were seen.  It was afterward ascertained that ten canoes full had gone on one of their marauding expeditions.  In their different expeditions on shore the Spaniards found all the huts and villages abandoned, and in them “an infinite quantity” of human bones and skulls hanging on the walls as receptacles.  From the natives taken on board the Spaniards learned that the name of the first island they had seen was Cayri or Keiree; the one they were on they named Sibuqueira, and they spoke of a third, not yet discovered, named Aye-Aye.  The Admiral gave to Sibuqueira the name of Guadaloupe.