and valleys and plains, and all are very
large. The people are much more politic than those of Espanola and
warlike, and there are handsome houses. If the Admiral had seen the
kingdom of Xaragua as did his brother the Adelantado and the court of the
King Behechio[345-1] he would not have made so absolute a statement.

Arriving at the point of Aguja, he says that he saw another island to the
south 15 leagues which ran south-east and north-west, very large, and
very high land, and he called it Sabeta, and in the afternoon he saw
another to the west, very high land. All these islands I understand to be
pieces of the mainland which by reason of the inlets and valleys that
separate them seem to be distinct islands notwithstanding that he went
clear inside the gulf which he called Ballena enclosed as is said by
land; and this seems clear since when one is, as he was, within the said
gulf no land bears off to the south, except the mainland; next, the
islands which he mentioned were not islands but pieces of the mainland
which he judged to be islands.

He anchored at the place he had named the Jardines, and then there came
an infinite number of canoes, large and small, full of people, according
to what he says. Afterwards in the afternoon there came more from all the
territory, many of whom wore at the neck pieces of gold of the size of
horseshoes. It appeared that they had a great deal of it: but they gave
it all for hawks' bells and he did not take it. And this is strange that
a man as provident as the Admiral and desiring to make discoveries should
not have seized this opportunity for trading, as he did on his first
voyage. Yet he had some specimens from them and it was of very poor
quality so that it appeared plated. They said, as well as he could
understand by signs, that there were some islands there where there was
much of that gold, but that the people were canibales, and the Admiral
says here that this word "Canibales" every one there held as a cause for
enmity, or perhaps they said so because they did not wish the Christians
to go yonder, but that they should remain there all their life. The
Christians saw one Indian with a grain of gold as large as an apple.

Another time there came an infinite number of canoes loaded with people,
and all wore gold and necklaces, and beads of infinite kinds, and had
handkerchiefs tied on their heads as they had hair well cut, and they
appeared very well. It rained a great deal, and