History of the Spanish and Precious Stones in the New World

The Spaniards had propagated wild stories of the wealth that abounded in the southern hemisphere. There was much truth, however, in these reports. In 1511 Cortes had set forth on his expedition to Mexico. Among the instructions given him by the Spanish Government was-"after using his best efforts for the conversion of the Indians, to impress upon them the grandeur and goodness of his royal master, to invite them to give their allegiance, and to manifest it by regaling him with such comfortable presents of gold and precious stones as, by showing their own goodwill, would secure his favour and protection." The latter recommendation was, no doubt, to be more deeply impressed on the Indians than the former. Accordingly, Cortes received magnificent presents from Montezuma, the Mexican Emperor, including a vast quantity of precious stones.

When Vasco Nunez made his first discovery of the Pacific from the heights of Quaraqua, he had passed through Indian districts, the inhabitants of which possessed pearls and gold in abundance, and gave them freely to the Spaniards in exchange for beads, bells, and trinkets. The cacique, or chief, of Tumaco gave Nunez jewels of gold weighing 614 crowns, and two hundred pearls of great size and beauty, excepting that they were somewhat discoloured, in consequence of the oysters having been opened by fire.

The cacique, seeing the value which the Spaniards set upon the pearls, sent a number of his men to fish for them at a place about ten miles distant. Certain of the Indians were trained from their youth for this purpose, so as to become expert divers and to acquire the power of remaining under water a long time.