or where they
were to lodge that night, they killed as many hogges as they needed. In
this iourney they were well prouided of beefe and porke: And they were
greatly troubled with Muskitos, especially in a lake, which is called the
mere of Pia, which they had much adoe to passe from noone till night, the
water might be some halfe league ouer, and to be swome about a crosse bowe
shot, the rest came to the waste, and they waded vp to the knees in the
mire, and in the bottome were cockle shels, which cut their feete very
sore; in such sort, that there was neither boote nor shoe sole that was
hole at halfe way. Their clothes and sandels were passed in baskets of
Palme trees. Passing this lake, stripped out of their clothes, there came
many muskitos, vpon whose bitting there arose a wheale that smarted very
much: they strooke them with their hands, and with the blow which they
gaue they killed so many, that the blood did runne downe the armes and
bodies of the men. That night they rested very little for them, and other
nights also in the like places and times. They came to Santo Espirito,
which is a towne of thirtie houses; there passeth by it a little Riuer: it
is very pleasant and fruitfull, hauing great store of Oranges and citrons,
and fruites of the Countrie: One halfe of the companie were lodged here,
and the rest passed forward 25. leagues to another towne called la
Trinidad of 15 or 20 households. Here is an hospitall for the poore, and
there is none other in all the Island. And they say, that this towne was
the greatest of all the Countrie and that before the Christians came into
this land, as a ship passed along the coast, there came in it a very sicke
man which desired the Captaine to set him on shore: and the Captaine did
so, and the ship went her way: The sicke man remained set on shore in that
countrie, which vntill then had not bene haunted by Christians; wherevpon
the Indians found him, carried him home, and looked vpon him till he was
whole; and the Lord of that towne maried him vnto a daughter of his, and
had warre withall the inhabitants round about, and by the industrie and
valour of the Christian, he subdued and brought vnder his command all the
people of that Island. A great while after, the Gouernour Diego Velasques
went to conquer it, and from thence discouered new Spaine: And this
Christian which was with the Indians did pacifie them, and brought them to
the obedience and subiection of the Gouernour. Fro