y were able to
obtain these, it seemed to them like getting the most beautiful jewels
in the world. It happened, indeed, that a certain sailor obtained in
exchange for a shoe-strap as much worth of gold as would equal three
golden coins; and likewise other things for articles of very little
value, especially for new silver coins, and for some gold coins, to
obtain which they gave whatever the seller desired, as for instance an
ounce and a half and two ounces of gold, or thirty and forty pounds of
cotton, with which they were already acquainted. They also traded cotton
and gold for pieces of bows, bottles, jugs and jars, like persons without
reason, which I forbade because it was very wrong; and I gave to them
many beautiful and pleasing things that I had brought with me, no value
being taken in exchange, in order that I might the more easily make them
friendly to me, that they might be made worshippers of Christ, and that
they might be full of love toward our King, Queen, and Prince, and the
whole Spanish nation; also that they might be zealous to search out and
collect, and deliver to us, those things of which they had plenty, and
which we greatly needed.

These people practise no kind of idolatry; on the contrary they firmly
believe that all strength and power, and in fact all good things, are
in heaven, and that I had come down from thence with these ships and
sailors; and in this belief I was received there after they had put
aside fear. Nor are they slow or unskilled, but of excellent and acute
understanding; and the men who have navigated that sea give an account of
everything in an admirable manner; but they never saw people clothed, nor
these kind of ships.

As soon as I reached that sea, I seized by force several Indians on the
first island, in order that they might learn from us, and in like manner
tell us about those things in these lands of which they themselves had
knowledge; and the plan succeeded, for in a short time we understood them
and they us, sometimes by gestures and signs, sometimes by words; and
it was a great advantage to us. They are coming with me now, yet always
believing that I descended from heaven, although they have been living
with us for a long time, and are living with us today. And these men were
the first who announced it wherever we landed, continually proclaiming to
the others in a loud voice, "Come, come, and you will see the celestial
people." Whereupon both women and men, both