RENE LAUDONNIERE ad. 



1565. 



house, accompanied with two or three of his most 

 familiar friends, where hee used certaine inchantments ; 

 and if any man intruded himselfe to goe to see what 

 they did in this place, the king immediatly caused him 

 to be put to death. Moreover, they tolde me, that One of these 

 every yeere in the time of harvest, this Savage king Spanyards 

 sacrificed one man, which was kept expresly for this ^^^^^'^^^ 

 purpose, and taken out of the number of the Spanyards Qq^^^ 

 which by tempest were cast away upon that coast. 

 One of these two declared unto me, that hee had 

 served him a long time for a messenger ; and that 

 often times by his commandement he had visited a 

 king named Oathcaqua, distant from Calos foure or King Oath- 

 five dayes journey, which alwayes remained his faithfull ^^^^^ °^ 

 friend : but that in the midway there was an Island °^^ ^^' 

 situate in a great lake of fresh water, named Sarrope, Sarrope an 

 about five leagues in bignesse, abounding with many Island, 

 sorts of fruits, specially in Dates, which growe on the Abundance of 

 Palme trees, whereof they make a woonderfull traffique ; ^^t^^- 

 yet not so great as of a kinde of root, whereof they A root of great 

 make a kinde of meale, so good to make bread of, P^'^^^ ^^ ^^^^ 

 that it is unpossible to eate better, and that for fifteene ^^^ ^' 

 leagues about, all the countrey is fed therewith : which 

 is the cause that the inhabitants of the Isle gaine of 

 their neighbours great wealth and profit : for they will 

 not depart with this root without they be well payed 

 for it. Besides that, they are taken for the most war- 

 like men of all that countrey, as they made good 

 proofe when the king of Calos, having made alliance 

 with Oathcaqua, was deprived of Oathcaquaes daughter, 

 which he had promised to him in mariage. He tolde 

 me the whole matter in this sort : As Oathcaqua well 

 accompanied with his people caried one of his daughters, 

 exceeding beautifull, according to the colour of the 

 countrey, unto king Calos, to give her unto him for 

 his wife, the inhabitants of this Isle advertised of the 

 matter, layed an ambush for him in a place where he 

 should passe, and so behaved themselves, that Oathcaqua 



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