ETHNOLOGY OF THE CIGUAYAN INDIANS 31 



the spring of 1499 the aclelantado Bartholomew, with 90 men, some 

 cavalry, and a body of 3,000 loyal Indians from the Province of 

 Marien, took the field against Guarionex and Mayobanex. Ciguayans 

 and other hostile Indians encountered along their route across the 

 Cibao Valley were easily repulsed by the Spanish. The Ciguayans 

 repeatedly discharged their arrows wildly because of their fear of the 

 Spanish and then ran to cover in the mountains. 



A treaty of friendship was proposed to Mayobanex with the offer 

 of protection if he would surrender Guarionex. Mayobanex replied 

 that the Spanish were bad men and that he did not wish their friend- 

 ship, while Guarionex was a good man and his guest. The Ciguayan 

 subjects of Mayobanex wished him to surrender the fugitive to the 

 Spaniards, who now had overrun the entire Samana Peninsula. This 

 Mayobanex would not do. Bartholomew Columbus now advanced 

 along the north coast eastward as far as the cacique's village at San 

 Juan, near Cape Cabron, where Mayobanex and his warriors were 

 waiting. Many of the subcaciques now deserted Mayobanex, who 

 retired into the mountainous country of the interior. Guarionex 

 also wandered about the secluded mountains of the peninsula practi- 

 cally deserted by all his followers. All the natives had fled to the 

 mountains and their villages remained deserted. The Spanish in- 

 vaders were compelled to live on cassava bread, roots, and an occa- 

 sional rodent of the genus Plagiodontm (jutia). These small mam- 

 mals were rapidly nearing extermination because of the ease with 

 Avhich they were hunted. Because of the hardships of the expedition, 

 many of the Spanish soldiers deserted and returned to their planta- 

 tions in the Cibao Valley near Concepcion. The adelantado, with 30 

 men, remained. After a prolonged hunt, two followers of Mayobanex 

 were overtaken and were forced to point out the hiding place of their 

 cacique. Twelve Spaniards volunteered to capture Mayobanex, 

 stripped themselves of their clothing, and stained and painted their 

 bodies to resemble those of the Ciguayans. After they had covered 

 their swords with palm leaves they were led to the refuge of Mayo- 

 banex and his family. His wife, children, and attendants were 

 with him. These were made prisoners by the Spanish, who now gave 

 up the search for Guarionex and returned to Concepcion. 



The sister of Mayobanex, his wife, and members of the household 

 were later released by the Spanish, who continued to hold Mayobanex 

 in captivity to insure peaceful relations with the Ciguayans. These 

 Indians now looked upon Guarionex as the cause of their cacique's 

 difficulty and betrayed his hiding place to the Spaniards. Both 

 Mayobanex and Guarionex were now held captive and Bartholomew 

 could return to the capital at San Domingo City. 



