le, and will
proceed by little and little, learning and comprehending; and I will make
some of my followers learn the language. For I have perceived that there
is only one language up to this point. After they understand the
advantages, I shall labor to make all these people Christians. They will
become so readily, because they have no religion nor idolatry, and your
Highnesses will send orders to build a city and fortress, and to convert
the people. I assure your Highnesses that it does not appear to me that
there can be a more fertile country nor a better climate under the sun,
with abundant supplies of water. This is not like the rivers of Guinea,
which are all pestilential. I thank our Lord that, up to this time, there
has not been a person of my company who has had so much as a headache, or
been in bed from illness, except an old man who has suffered from the
stone all his life, and he was well again in two days. I speak of all
three vessels. If it will please God that your Highnesses should send
learned men out here, they will see the truth of all I have said. I have
related already how good a place Rio de Mares would be for a town and
fortress, and this is perfectly true; but it bears no comparison with
this place, nor with the Mar de Nuestra Senora. For here there must be a
large population, and very valuable productions, which I hope to discover
before I return to Castile. I say that if Christendom will find profit
among these people, how much more will Spain, to whom the whole country
should be subject. Your Highnesses ought not to consent that any stranger
should trade here, or put his foot in the country, except Catholic
Christians, for this was the beginning and end of the undertaking;
namely, the increase and glory of the Christian religion, and that no one
should come to these parts who was not a good Christian."[160-1]

All the above are the Admiral's words. He ascended the river for some
distance, examined some branches of it, and, returning to the mouth,
he found some pleasant groves of trees, like a delightful orchard.
Here he came upon a boat or _canoa_, dug out of one tree as big as a
_fusta_[161-1] of twelve benches, fastened under a boat-house or bower
made of wood, and thatched with palm-leaves, so that it could be
neither injured by sun nor by the water. He says that here would be
the proper site for a town and fort, by reason of the good port, good
water, good land, and abundance of fuel.

_