island is at 91 degrees longitude and twenty latitude. The island
has long been considered part of the continent on account of its
size, of which one ought not to be surprised, for the inhabitants
themselves seem not to know its limits and since the arrival of the
Spaniards they know no better, being a people, naked and simple and
contented with their government and bothering about no other. The
ground is rough and hilly. The sea makes inlets in various places;
there are small rivers, the good waters of which carry gold and
copper. The air is moderately warm, sometimes a little cold. You
find there dye-stuffs for linen and furs. The island is full of
shady woods, ponds and beautiful fresh water rivers; you also find
plenty of ponds the waters of which are naturally salt. The forests
contain wild boars. The rivers frequently yield gold.

"In this island are six cities, inhabited by Spaniards, the first
and principal of which is San Jago, which is the seat of the
archbishop; but Havana is the principal mercantile center of the
island and there they build ships. Two notable things were remarked
on this island by Gonsalo Onetano. One is a valley between two
mountains, of the length of two or three Spanish leagues, where you
find boulders by nature so round that they could not be rounded
better, and in such quantity that they could serve as ballast for
several ships, that use cannon balls instead of lead or iron. The
other is a mountain, not far from the coast, from which there is a
constant flow of pitch to the coast and wherever the wind may
divert it. The residents and Spaniards use this pitch to tar their
vessels.

"The inhabitants of this island are like those of the island of
Spain (Hispaniola) though a little different in language. Both men
and women go about naked. In their marriage a strange custom
prevails; the husband is not the first to approach his wife. If he
is a gentleman, he invites all gentlemen to precede him; if he is a
merchant, he invites the merchants, if he is a peasant, he asks the
gentlemen and the priests. The men can for the slightest cause
abandon the women; but the wives cannot desert their husband for
any reason whatsoever. The men are very inconstant and lead a bad
life. The soil produces big worms and serpents or snak