[27] _Kuba_ in Arawack is the sign of past time and is used as a prefix
to nouns, as well as a suffix to verbs. _Kubakanan_ ancestors, those
passed away, those who lived in past times.

[28] "Toda la mas de la gente de que estaba poblaba aquella isla [Cuba]
era passada y natural desta ysla Espanola, puesto que la mas antigua y
natural de aquella ysla era como la de los Lucayos de quien ablamos en
el primero y segundo libro ser como los seres que parecia no haber
pecado nuestro padre Adan en ellos, gente simplicissima, bonissima,
careciente de todos vicios, y beatissima. Esta era la natural y native
de aquella ysla, y llamabanse en su lengua, Ciboneyes, la penultima
silaba luenga; y los desta por grado o por fuerza se apodearon de
aquella ysla y gente della, y los tenian como sirvientes suyos." (Las
Casas _Hist. Gen. de las Indias_, MSS. lib. iii, cap. 21). Elsewhere
(cap. 23) he says this occurred "mayormente" after the Spaniards had
settled in Haiti.

[29] "Lucayos o por mejor decir Yucayos" says Las Casas, (_Hist. Gen._
lib. ii. cap. 44) and after him Herrera. But the correction which was
based apparently on some supposed connection of the word with _yuca_,
the Haitian name of an esculent plant, is superfluous, and Las Casas
himself never employs it, nor a single other writer.

[30] Las Casas. _Hist. Gen. de las Indias_, lib. iv. cap. 48, MSS. Bees
were native to Yucatan long before the discovery, but not to the north
temperate zone.

[31] "Varia enim esse idiomata in varils Cubae provinelis perpenderunt."
(Pet. Martyr, _De Rebus Oceanicis_, v. 42). Las Casas says that a sailor
told Columbus that he saw one Indian cacique in a long white tunic who
refused to speak, but stalked silently away. (_Hist. de las Indias_,
lib. I. cap. 95). Martyr says there were several. Peschel suggests they
were tall white flamingoes, that scared the adventurous tar out of his
wits. (_Geschichte des Zeitalters der Entdeckungen_, p. 253). At any
rate the story gives no foundation at all for Peter Martyr's
philogical[TN-15] opinion.

[32] Pet. Martyr, _De Insulis Nuper Inventis_, p. 335. "Traia consigo
Grisalva un Indio per lengua de los que de aquella tierra habian llevado
consigo a la ysla de Cuba Francisco Hernandez.[TN-16] Las Casas _Hist.
Gen. de las Indias_, lib. III, cap. 108, MSS. See also the chaplain's
account in Terneaux Compans, _Recueil de Pieces rel. a la Conquete de
Mexique_, p. 56.

[33] Bernal Dias says the vicini