and die exiled from his kingdom and state, in a province called
Ciguay, of which the ruler was his vassal.
6. When the Christians became aware that he was missing, he could not
hide himself from them. They made war on that ruler who sheltered
him, where, after great slaughter, they found and captured him.
When he was taken, they put him on a ship in chains, to bring him to
Castile in fetters. The ship was lost at sea, and many Christians
were drowned with him, besides a great quantity of gold, including
the great nugget, which was as big as a cake and weighed three
thousand and six hundred crowns, because God was pleased to avenge
such great injustice.
7. The second kingdom was called Marien, where now is the royal port at
the end of the plain towards the north. It was larger than the
kingdom of Portugal and was certainly much more prosperous, and
worthy of being populated; and it has many, and high mountains, and
very rich gold, and copper mines. Its king was named Guacanagari
(with the last letter accented) under whom there were many and very
great lords, many of whom I saw and knew.
8. In the country of this king, the old Admiral(80) who discovered the
Indies, first went to stay. When he discovered the island he, and
all the Christians who accompanied him, was received the first time
by the said Guacanagari with great humanity and charity. He met
with such a gentle and agreeable reception, and such help and
guidance when the ship in which the Admiral sailed was lost there,
that in his own country, and from his own father a better would not
have been possible. This I know from the recital and words of the
same Admiral. This king, flying from the massacres and cruelty of
the Christians, died a wanderer in the mountains, ruined and
deprived of his state. All the other lords, his subjects, died
under tyranny and servitude, as will be told below.
9. The third kingdom and dominion was Maguana, a country equally
marvellous, most healthy and most fertile; where now the best sugar
of the island is made. Its king was called Caonabo. In strength,
and dignity, in gravity, and pomp he surpassed all the others. They
captured this king with great cunning and malice, he being safe in
his own house. They put him on a ship t