WHOLE VOL, THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA II7 



more than one man ; and the enemy having withdrawn ignominiously 

 to their ships gave out the statement that the chief cause of their 

 rout was a friar, mounted on a powerful horse and singing the 

 hymn of victory ; accordingly from that time on the town said its 

 prayers to him and has him as their patron ; on his day they hold a 

 fiesta there and a general celebration, in commemoration of this vic- 

 tory and of the mercy God showed them through the intercession 

 of the saint. 



Chapter XXXIX 



Continuing the Description of the Remarkable Features of the 

 Island, and How at the Beginning It Was a Help to Further 

 Conquests. 



330. The inhabitants of this island who dwell there today and 

 maintain it, are the sons and descendants of those illustrious men 

 who won it and settled there — all of them of noble, kindly, and very 

 Christian character, and charitable to all the poverty-stricken who 

 arrive there, providing them with their needs ; as for those who stay, 

 they lay them under obligation with their noble treatment of them, 

 while they help and outfit for their voyage, those who desire to 

 travel farther. Their large cattle ranches are so productive that the 

 fields are full of them ; they provide much beef for the ships, and 

 hides for Spain ; likewise with small cattle — goats, sheep, and hogs — 

 all of which are produced in abundance on the island. For these, and 

 for service in their farmhouses and in the fields, they have over 

 1,000 Negro and mulatto slaves who busy themselves on the land in 

 the cattle ranches and as shepherds, and in the cultivation of corn, 

 tobacco (of which quantities are raised on the island), rice, cassava, 

 and some presses for honey; all of these yield abundantly, for the 

 land is suitable and productive. 



331. There are likewise all the fruits of the Indies in plenty, and 

 from Spain they have grapes, olives, quinces, and many others, 

 which bear very well, and the woods are all full of wild grapes; they 

 grow cassia, cotton, cacao, and sweet potatoes. The woods are full 

 of tall trees which are loaded with excellent savory pepper, like that 

 which is got from India; this is exported to Cartagena, New Spain, 

 and all the other islands ; it is a great source of wealth which might 

 be taken over to Spain, and would be very important ; they use it in 

 all their stews and in the manufacture of chocolate. 



332. Besides the above there are quantities of goats run wild on 

 the mountains and especially on one very massive range over 3 

 leagues long and very high, near the sea, with the lookout on top; 



