dor: it is one of a cluster of islands called the Bahamas, which you will find in the map of the West Indies.

Having brought you so far, I must conclude this long letter, and will tell you about the inhabitants of this newdiscovered land in my next.

Your affectionate aunt.

LETTER IX.

MY DEAR JANE,

WHEN the people of San Salvador saw the ships in which Columbus and his men sailed towards their island, no wonder they were astonished

and half frightened at a sight so new to them. What great winged things could these be, which came riding on the water towards them? And when Columbus landed, and these poor people saw the white skins of the Europeans, their dress and their arms, and heard the music, which accompanied them, every thing about them seemed so new, so singular, that it was no wonder they fancied the Spaniards were some superior beings, come down, perhaps, from heaven, to confer benefits upon them. What a blessing it would have been, had the Spaniards afterwards behaved with kindness and humanity to them! They were weak, and the white men were strong; and these poor islanders were so gentle in their tem

pers, that it would have been easy to live peaceably with them. I am afraid, when we read on, we shall find much to make us ashamed of Europeans. The natives of this island were of a dusky copper colour. They wore their long black hair floating on their shoulders; and their faces, and several parts of their bodies, were painted with bright, glaring colours. They soon became familiar with the Spaniards, and were delighted with the glass beads, and some other pretty, showy things which were given to them; in return for which they sold their guests such provisions as they had, and some cotton yarn. Towards evening Columbus returned to his ship, and many of the islanders with him in their little boats,

which they called canoes. Columbus soon saw that this was not the country

for which he was in search; but he thought it might probably be one of the islands which lie to the east of the continent of India, and he was the more confirmed in this opinion, because he observed that the people mostly wore ornaments of gold; and when asked where they obtained this metal, always pointed towards the south, giving him to understand that gold abounded in some countries which lay in that direction. He resolved, therefore, to sail that way; and taking with him two of the natives, to serve as interpreters, he left San Salvador. He soon

saw several islands, but made no stay at

any of them, till he arrived at one much

larger than the others. The natives called it Cuba; and you will find it easily in the map of the West India islands, which are situated in the Gulf of Mexico. As yet, you will remember, Columbus had seen nothing of the great continent of America. The island of Cuba he found very fertile and beautiful; but the people, when asked where they obtained their gold ornaments, always pointed to the east, where, they said, a country called Hayti was situated. The poor natives: were astonished at the eagerness of the Spaniards to get gold, and willingly exchanged all they had for beads and other trifles. Columbus, directed by them, sailed on to Hayti, which he called Hispaniola: and was delighted with its beauty