NATIVE TRIBES AND PROVINCES 19 



eastern Haiti south of the Cordillera Central and east of Samana 



Bay. 



Las Casas speaks of Cotabanama as the cacique of Higuey " Prov- 

 ince," while other writers refer to the cacique Cayacoa as ruling 

 the eastern portion of the island. Still other writers mention the 

 name of the " queen " Higuanama as a ruler of the eastern Province 

 of Higuey. The several writers are, of course, referring to various 

 periods of time, as the Spanish ultimately succeeded in destroying 

 all native rule and in wrecking the lives of the native caciques. 



In the De Orbe Novo of Peter Martyr an entirely different classi- 

 fication of native provinces is given from that of other Spanish 

 chroniclers. Martyr names the eastern Province of Higuey with the 

 term " Caizimu," which, according to his description, extends from 

 Cape Eugano as far westward as the river Hozama (Ozama), 

 on which is located the capital city, Santo Domingo. The northern 

 border of this province of Martyr's was marked by precipitous 

 mountains (Cordillera Central), which, on account of their steep- 

 ness especially, bore the name " Haiti." The Province of Huhabo 

 (Magna?), according to Martyr, lay between the mountains of Haiti 

 and the lacaga (Yaque) River. The third province from the east 

 was supposed to extend as far west as the mouth of the lacca 

 (Yaque) River, one of the rivers " dividing the island into four 

 equal parts." The province was supposed by Martyr to extend 

 as far as the island of Cahini ( ? ) , almost touching the north coast 

 of Hispaniola (spelling is Martyr's) at the place where the colony 

 was once founded (La Navidad). Martyr's Province Bainoa may 

 either be Marien or Maguana. The remainder of the island along 

 the west coast formed the Province of Guaccairima (Xaragua), thus 

 called " because it is the extremity of the island." " 



The statement made by the Spanish friar Ramon Pane con- 

 firms the notion that tlie language of the Ciguaj^ans of Samana 

 differed from that prevailing elsewhere on the island. Pane was 

 ordered by Columbus to live among the natives and to record what 

 he might observe concerning their religious beliefs and practices. 

 Pane's notes are brief but invaluable. The manuscript is incorpo- 

 rated in Churchill's Voyages with Ferdinand Columbus's narrative 

 of " the history of the life and actions of adm. Christopher Colum- 

 bus, and of his discovery of the West Indies, called tJie New World, 

 now in possession of His Catholick Majesty." 



The following passage from the manuscript is of interest in this 

 connection : 



The admiral told me that the language of the Province Madaleua Maroris 

 was different from the rest, and was not understood in all parts of the coun- 



' De Orbe Novo, vol. 2, pp. 366, 367. 



