r kingdoms
remain in peace, and free from heresy and evil, and may you be well
received before the eternal Creator, to whom I pray that you may have
long life and great increase of kingdoms and lordships, with the will and
disposition to increase the holy Christian religion as you have done
hitherto. Amen!"

"To-day I got the ship afloat, and prepared to depart on Thursday, in the
name of God, and to steer S.E. in search of gold and spices, and to
discover land."

These are the words of the Admiral, who intended to depart on Thursday,
but, the wind being contrary, he could not go until the 12th of November.

_Monday, 12th of November_

The Admiral left the port and river of Mares before dawn to visit the
island called Babeque, so much talked of by the Indians on board, where,
according to their signs, the people gather the gold on the beach at
night with candles, and afterwards beat it into bars with hammers.[143-1]
To go thither it was necessary to shape a course E. b. S. After having
made 8 leagues along the coast, a river was sighted, and another 4
leagues brought them to another river, which appeared to be of great
volume, and larger than any they had yet seen. The Admiral did not wish
to stop nor to enter any of these rivers, for two reasons: the first and
principal one being that wind and weather were favorable for going in
search of the said island of Babeque; the other, that, if there was a
populous and famous city near the sea, it would be visible, while, to go
up the rivers, small vessels are necessary, which those of the expedition
were not. Much time would thus be lost; moreover, exploration of such
rivers is a separate enterprise, that coast was peopled near the river,
to which the name of Rio del Sol was given.

The Admiral says that, on the previous Sunday, the 11th of November, it
seemed good to take some persons from amongst those at Rio de Mares, to
bring to the Sovereigns, that they might learn our language, so as to be
able to tell us what there is in their lands. Returning, they would be
the mouthpieces of the Christians, and would adopt our customs and the
things of the faith. "I saw and knew" (says the Admiral) "that these
people are without any religion, not idolaters, but very gentle, not
knowing what is evil, nor the sins of murder and theft, being without
arms, and so timid that a hundred would fly before one Spaniard, although
they joke with them.[144-1] They, however, believe and know