sometimes that a Christian goeth out of the way and is lost 15.
or 20. daies, because of the many paths in the thicke groues that crosse
too and fro made by the oxen: and being thus lost, they sustaine them
selues with fruites and palmitos: for there be many great groues of Palme
trees through all the Island: they yeeld no other fruite that is of any
profit. (M607) The Isle of Cuba is 300. leagues long from the East to the
West, and in some places 30. in others 40. leagues from North to South. It
hath 6. townes of Christians: to wit, S. Iago, Baracoa, Bayamo, Puerto de
Principes, S. Espirito, and Hauana. Euery one hath betweene 30. and 40.
households, except S. Iago and Hauana, which hath about 60. or 80. houses.
They haue Churches in each of them, and a Chaplen which confesseth them
and saith Masse. In S. Iago is a Monasterie of Franciscan Friars: it hath
but few Friers, and is well prouided of almes, because the countrie is
rich: The Church of S. Iago hath honest reuenew, and there is a Curat and
Prebends and many Priests, as the Church of that Citie, which is the
chiefe of all the Island. There is in this countrie much gold, and few
slaues to get it: For many haue made away themselues, because of the
Christians euill vsage of them in the mines. (M608) A steward of Vasques
Porcallo, which was an inhabitour in that Island, vnderstanding that his
slaues would make away themselues, staid for them with a cudgill in his
hand at the place where they were to meete, and told them, that they could
neither doe nor thinke any thing, that hee did not know before; and that
hee came thither to kill himselfe with them, to the end, that if hee had
vsed them badly in this world, hee might vse them worse in the world to
come: And this was a meane that they changed their purpose, and turned
home againe to doe that which he commanded them.

Chap. VI. How the Gouernour sent Donna Isabella with the ships to Hauana,
and he with some of his people went thither by land.

The Gouernour sent from S. Iago his Nephew Don Carlos with the ships in
company of Donna Isabella to tarrie for him at Hauana, which is an hauen
in the west part toward the head of the Island, 180. leagues from the
Citie of Saint Iago. The Gouernour and those which staied with him bought
horses and proceeded on their iournie. The first towne they came vnto was
Bayamo: they were lodged foure and foure, and sixe and sixe, as they went
in company, and where they lodged they