h as if they had never been there before.

There is a mode of reckoning derived from astronomy which is sure and
safe, and a sufficient guide to any one who understands it. This
resembles a prophetic vision.[408-3] The Indies ships[408-4] do not sail
except with the wind abaft, but this is not because they are badly built
or clumsy, but because the strong currents in those parts, together with
the wind, render it impossible to sail with the bowline,[408-5] for in
one day they would lose as much way as they might have made in seven; for
the same reason I could make no use of caravels, even though they were
Portuguese lateens.[409-1] This is the cause that they do not sail unless
with a regular breeze, and they will sometimes stay in harbor waiting for
this seven or eight months at a time; nor is this anything wonderful, for
the same very often occurs in Spain.

The nation of which Pope Pius II. describes the situation and
characteristics has now been found,[409-2] excepting the horses with the
saddles and poitrels and bridles of gold; but this is not to be wondered
at, for the lands on the sea-coast are only inhabited by fishermen, and
moreover I made no stay there, because I was in haste to proceed on my
voyage. In Cariay[409-3] and the neighboring country there are great
enchanters of a very fearful character. They would have given the world
to prevent my remaining there an hour. When I arrived they sent me
immediately two girls very showily dressed; the eldest could not be more
than eleven years of age and the other seven, and both exhibited so much
immodesty, that more could not be expected from public women; they
carried concealed about them a magic powder; when they came I gave them
some articles to dress themselves out with, and directly sent them back
to the shore.[409-4] I saw here, built on a mountain, a sepulchre as
large as a house, and elaborately sculptured; the body lay uncovered and
embalmed in it. They also spoke to me of other very excellent works of
art.[410-1] There are many species of animals both small and large, and
very different from those of our country. I had a present of two pigs,
and an Irish dog was afraid to face them. A cross-bowman had wounded an
animal like a monkey,[410-2] except that it was larger, and had a face
like a man's; the arrow had pierced it from the neck to the tail, and
since it was fierce he was obliged to cut off an arm and a leg; the pig
bristled up on seeing it and trie