gentler people in the
world. Your Highnesses ought to rejoice that they will soon become
Christians, and that they will be taught the good customs of your
kingdom. A better race there cannot be, and both the people and the lands
are in such quantity that I know not how to write it. I have spoken in
the superlative degree of the country and people of Juana which they call
Cuba, but there is as much difference between them and this island and
people as between day and night. I believe that no one who should see
them could say less than I have said, and I repeat that the things and
the great villages of this island of Espanola, which they call Bohio, are
wonderful. All here have a loving manner and gentle speech, unlike the
others, who seem to be menacing when they speak. Both men and women are
of good stature, and not black. It is true that they all paint, some with
black, others with other colors, but most with red. I know that they are
tanned by the sun, but this does not affect them much. Their houses and
villages are pretty, each with a chief, who acts as their judge, and who
is obeyed by them. All these lords use few words, and have excellent
manners. Most of their orders are given by a sign with the hand, which is
understood with surprising quickness." All these are the words of the
Admiral.

He who would enter the sea of Santo Tome[198-1] ought to stand for a good
league across the mouth to a flat island in the middle, which was named
La Amiga,[198-2] pointing her head towards it. When the ship is within a
stone's-throw of it the course should be altered to make for the eastern
shore, leaving the west side, and this shore, and not the other, should
be kept on board, because a great reef runs out from the west, and even
beyond that there are three sunken rocks. This reef comes within a
lombard-shot of the Amiga island. Between them there are seven fathoms at
least, with a gravelly bottom. Within, a harbor will be found large
enough for all the ships in the world, which would be there without need
of cables. There is another reef with sunken rocks, on the east side of
the island of Amiga, which are extensive and run out to sea, reaching
within two leagues of the cape. But it appeared that between them there
was an entrance, within two lombard-shots of Amiga, on the west side of
Monte Caribatan, where there was a good and very large port.[199-1]

_Tuesday, 25th of December. Christmas_

Navigating yesterday, with