WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA Il5 



the natives are not Christians, they Hve in ho])es of hecoming 

 Christian ; it would be a great help to send a prelate to train minis- 

 ters sufficient to catechize them and teach them the way of salvation. 



Chapter XXXVIII 



Of the Island of Jamaica, Its Fertility, and the Remarkable Things 

 To Be Found There. 



324. The island of Jamaica lies in i7°3o' N., 20 leagues S. of 

 Cuba, and likewise 20 leagues W. of the island of Hispaniola. It is 

 15,0 leagues in circuit, 50 leagues long from E. to W., and 20 to 25 

 leagues across. It has a marvelous climate, rather hot than cold, and 

 is extremely rich in food supplies. On the N. coast it has high moun- 

 tain ranges, with great forests and valuable timber trees on them, as 

 is stated by Solorzano. "De Jure Indiarum," folio 64, book I, chap- 

 ter VI, No. II. At the beginning of the exploration and conquest, 

 three settlements were made on this fertile island, viz, Sevilla on the 

 N. coast, where they built the collegiate church for the island ; the 

 town was settled by Capt. Juan de Esquivel, a gentleman native of 

 Seville, in the year 1509, and Capt. Diego Sanchez de Espinosa, who 

 was given command for life (Alcaldia perpetua) of a fortress built 

 there, by His Majesty's favor, since he was a leading pioneer and 

 settler. Fourteen leagues from Sevilla they established on the S. 

 coast the town of Oristan ; and 20 leagues to the eastward in that 

 same year these captains founded the town of La Vega, to which 

 the others were later transferred, and it still remains ; it was like- 

 wise colonized by Capt. Alonso de Vargas, a gentleman native of 

 Trujillo, and Capt. Martin Vazquez with Francisco de Garay, who 

 was to be Commander of this island, and other noble gentlemen, 

 captains and soldiers, who aided with their valor in its conquest and 

 settlement. 



325. The town of La Vega, which is in existence today, is the La 

 Vega of the title of the Admirals of the Indies given by His Majesty — 

 Marquis of Veragua and La Vega ; it was established on the bank 

 of a large river named Cahuaya, which almost surrounds it. It has 

 a marvelously attractive site, contains 500 Spanish residents, and is 

 very well built and laid out. There is a collegiate church with an 

 Abbot and some clerics who reside there and serve it ; there are two 

 convents, a Dominican and a Franciscan, and two shrines which 

 serve as parish churches, Our Lady of Belen and San Jeronimo, in 

 which Mass is said for the poor people in the environs. It lies 2 

 short leagues from the sea and the main port, over pleasant level 



