with the
whole fleet. Every day the harvest increases, and overtops that of the
last. The exploits of Saturn and Hercules and other heroes, glorified
by antiquity, are reduced to nothing. If the incessant efforts of the
Spaniards result in new discoveries, we shall give our attention to
them. May Your Holiness fare well, and let me know your opinion upon
these aggrandisements of your Apostolic Chair, and thus encourage me
in my future labours.

BOOK V

Every creature in this sublunary world, Most Holy Father, that gives
birth to something, either immediately afterwards closes the womb or
rests for a period. The new continent, however, is not governed by
this rule, for each day it creates without ceasing and brings forth
new products, which continue to furnish men gifted with power and
an enthusiasm for novelties, sufficient material to satisfy their
curiosity. Your Holiness may ask, "Why this preamble?" The reason is
that I had scarcely finished composing and dictating the story of the
adventures of Vasco Nunez and his companions during their exploration
of the South Sea, and had hardly despatched that narration to Your
Holiness by Giovanni Ruffo di Forli, Archbishop of Cosenza and
Galeazzo Butrigario, Apostolic nuncios and stimulators of my somnolent
spirits, than new letters[1] arrived from Pedro Arias whose departure
last year as commander of a fleet bound for the new continent we have
already announced. The General duly arrived with his soldiers and his
ships. These letters are signed by Juan Cabedo whom Your Holiness,
upon the solicitation of the Catholic King, appointed Bishop of the
province of Darien, and his signature is accompanied by those of the
principal officials sent to administer the government, viz.: Alonzo
de Ponte, Diego Marques, and Juan de Tavira. May Your Holiness,
therefore, deign to accept the narrative of this voyage.

[Note 1: If still in existence these letters have yet to be
found.]

On the eve of the ides of April, 1514, Pedro Arias gave the signal to
start and sailed from the port of San Lucar de Barrameda, a fortified
place at the mouth of the Boetis, called by the Spaniards the
Guadalquivir. From the mouth of the Boetis, to the seven Canary
Islands the distance is about four hundred miles. Some people think
these islands correspond to the Fortunate Isles, but others hold a
contrary opinion. These islands are named as follows: Lancelota and
Fortaventura are the first sighted, a