[Works] . common laborer, withlittle trouble, might find the amount of threedrachms in the course of a day.* In severalplaces they observed deep excavations in theform of pits, which looked as if the mines hadbeen worked in ancient times, a circumstancewhich caused much speculation among theSpaniards, the natives having no idea of min-ing, but contenting themselves with the parti-cles found on the surface of the soil or in thebeds of the rivers. The Indians of the neighborhood receivedthe white men with their promised friendship,and in every respect the representations ofMiguel Diaz were fully
[Works] . common laborer, withlittle trouble, might find the amount of threedrachms in the course of a day.* In severalplaces they observed deep excavations in theform of pits, which looked as if the mines hadbeen worked in ancient times, a circumstancewhich caused much speculation among theSpaniards, the natives having no idea of min-ing, but contenting themselves with the parti-cles found on the surface of the soil or in thebeds of the rivers. The Indians of the neighborhood receivedthe white men with their promised friendship,and in every respect the representations ofMiguel Diaz were fully justified. He was notonly pardoned, but received into great favor,and was subsequently employed in variouscapacities in the island, in all which he ac-quitted himself with great fidelity. He kepthis faith with his Indian bride, by whom,according to Oviedo, he had two children. * Herrera, //isi. Ind., decad. i., lib. ii., cap. l8,Peter Martyr, decad. i., lib. iv. Gold Mining. Redrawn from De Br/s Cbrfetopber Columbus. 323 Charlevoix supposes that they were regularlymarried, as the female cacique appears to havebeen baptized, being always mentioned by theChristian name of Catalina.* When the Adelantado returned with thisfavorable report, and with specimens of ore,the anxious heart of the Admiral was greatlyelated. He gave orders that a fortress shouldbe immediately erected on the banks of theHayna, in the vicinity of the mines, and thatthey should be diligently worked. The fan-cied traces of ancient excavations gave rise toone of his usual veins of golden had already surmised that Hispaniola mightbe the ancient Ophir. He now flattered him-self that he had discovered the identical mineswhence King Solomon had procured his goldfor the building of the temple of supposed that his ships must have sailedby the gulf of Persia, and round Trapoban tothis island, t which, according to his idea, layopposite to the extreme end of Asia, for suchhe firmly
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