, with the wealth and magnificence of which they endeavoured to
impress him.  His mind, however, being bent on the discovery of the
strait, and believing that he could easily visit them at some future
period, he determined to seek the mainland, and keep steadily on until
he reached the opening between it and Paria.

Had he followed the advice of his visitors he might have discovered
Mexico, and even the Southern Ocean might have been disclosed to him.
He was encouraged to persist in the course he had designed by hearing
from an old man, whom he had detained as pilot, that there were many
places farther on abounding in gold.

Reaching the mainland on Sunday, the 14th of August, he and his
officers, and many of the men, landed, and Mass was performed under the
trees.  On the 17th the Adelantado went ashore near the mouth of a
river, and took possession of the country in the name of their Catholic
Majesties.  At this place upwards of a hundred Indians appeared, laden
with bread, maize, fish, fowl, vegetables, and fruits.

These they laid down as presents, and then, without speaking a word,
drew back.  The Adelantado distributed among them various trinkets,
which so pleased them that they came with still more abundant supplies.
These natives had higher foreheads than those of the islands.  Some were
entirely naked and had their bodies tatooed, some wore coverings about
the loins, and others short cotton jerkins without sleeves.  The
chieftains had coats of white or  cotton.  The Indian guide
asserted that some of them were cannibals.

Day after day, exposed to storms, drenching rains, and currents,
Columbus made his way along the coast of Honduras, often gaining only a
league or two in the day.  Though suffering from gout, he still attended
to his duty, having had a small cabin fitted on deck from which he could
keep a look-out.  Often he was so ill that he thought his end was
approaching.

At length, after two months of continued gales, fine weather returned,
and he doubled the Cape, to which he gave the name of Gra