and eleven large ones, and they told us by
signs that if we would wait some days they would go and fish for them
and bring us many of them. We did not wish to be detained, so with many
parrots of various colors, and in good friendship, we parted from them.
From these people we learned that those of the before-mentioned island
were cannibals and ate human flesh. We issued from this gulf and sailed
along the coast, seeing continually great numbers of people, and when we
were so disposed we treated with them, and they gave us everything we
asked of them. They all go as naked as they were born, without being
ashamed. If all were to be related concerning the little shame they have,
it would be bordering on impropriety; therefore it is better to suppress
it.

After having sailed about four hundred leagues continually along the
coast, we concluded that this land was a continent, which might be
bounded by the eastern parts of Asia, this being the commencement of the
western part of the continent, because it happened often that we saw
divers animals, such as lions, stags, goats, wild hogs, rabbits, and
other land animals which are not found in islands, but only on the
mainland. Going inland one day with twenty men, we saw a serpent which
was about twenty-four feet in length, and as large in girth as myself.
We were very much afraid of it, and the sight of it caused us to return
immediately to the sea. I oftentimes saw many very ferocious animals and
serpents.

Thus sailing along the coast, we discovered every day a great number of
people, speaking various languages. When we had navigated four hundred
leagues along the coast we began to find people who did not wish for
our friendship, but stood waiting for us with arms, which were bows and
arrows, and with some other arms which they use. When we went to the
shore in our boats, they disputed our landing in such a manner that we
were obliged to fight with them. At the end of the battle they found that
they had the worst of it, for, as they were naked, we always made great
slaughter. Many times not more than sixteen of us fought with two
thousand of them, and in the end defeated them, killing many and robbing
their houses.

One day we saw a great many people, all posted in battle array to prevent
our landing. We fitted out twenty-six men, well armed, and covered the
boats, on account of the arrows which were shot at us, and which always
wounded some of us before we landed. After