WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA I 13 



two watercourses ; but they cut the savages to pieces and marched on 

 a league to the village of ChiacocoUa and then 4 leagues to Libamo, 

 both situated in the province just mentioned, the whole country being 

 well supplied with food. Twelve leagues beyond lies the village of 

 the Province of Chisca, built above the deep-lying channel of a mighty 

 river, the largest they had yet come upon; the country was fertile 

 and rich in corn and other cereals. Having crossed the mighty river, 

 they traveled 4 days' journey to the Province of Casquin, where they 

 discovered on a hill a town of 400 houses which was the capital ; 

 the surrounding country was all full of corn, fruit, and other luxuries. 

 Here they were well received by the chief and his vassals. Casquin 

 begged the Governor that since he had a better god than theirs, they 

 should pray that he send them rain, for the land had need of it. So 

 they set up a great cross and they all prayed to God, and it rained 

 good and hard that night, with more than 20,000 heathen present 

 there, whooping loudly at intervals while the Spaniards were pray- 

 ing, begging the God of the Christians to send them rain ; and with 

 the mercy that God showed to these savages through the prayers 

 and intercession of the Christians, they were greatly comforted and 

 held the Holy Cross in deep veneration. 



319. From here they proceeded 3 days' journey escorted by 5,000 

 Indians through the Province of Casquin to the Province of Cafana, 

 with whom they were at war. He withdrew to an island in the mighty 

 river, where he had a fortress ; and after they had had several 

 encounters, the Governor made these two chieftains friends. From 

 this province he returned to Casquin and from there traveled W. ; 

 for from Mavila they had explored northward. From Casquin they 

 marched 5 days to the Province of Quigate, and with 5 more days 

 down the river they reached that of Colima, where they were peace- 

 ably received. It was a rich country but lacking in salt, replaced by 

 bluestone (arena azul). From Colima they went through unin- 

 habited territory to the Province of Tula, where they had some skir- 

 mishes with the savages ; 2 days from there they reached Vitangue, a 

 region abounding in food supplies ; there were deer, great numbers 

 of excellent rabbits, and quantities of wildfowl, which gave them 

 agreeable variety. 



320. From Vitangue in 7 days they reached Naguatex over fer- 

 tile and productive country ; there Diego de Guzman was left behind, 

 without their being able to rescue him from the Indians. They went 

 on to Guacane, a warlike tribe ; there they found many crosses which 

 devout Cabeza de Vaca had left ; the Indians reverenced these greatly 

 and showed deep devotion to them. From here they passed through 



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