128 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



there are in this Province of Yucatan 41 clerics occupied in the 

 activities described, in confessional instruction of 25,100 Indians (not 

 counting children) in 68 villages. 



(One third of folio blank) 



[359 and 360 repeat in almost the same words what is said in 

 345-347, beginning with the words "who had arrived from Spain in 

 the yean 535." 



361 begins "There are quantities of Campeche or brazilwood, which 

 is exported to Spain. There are in this province quantities of little 

 creatures which fly by night etc. (348). The natives are well in- 

 structed religiously. For dress the Indians wear etc under 



the right arm, like the Apostles' clothing There are in this 



province 16 convents of Franciscan friars and 6 districts under 

 priests. The Indians work and cultivate the land," All this was 

 crossed out.] 



Chapter V 



Of the City of Vera Cruz and the Port of San Juan de Ulloa, of 

 the Diocese of Tlaxcala, and of Other Matters in This District. 



362. At the extremity of the Gulf of Mexico, leaving Florida to 

 the right hand on the N., and the Province of Yucatan on the left 

 hand to the S., lies the port of San Juan de Ulloa, which was dis- 

 covered by Capt. Juan de Grijalba in the year 15 17 and is the chief 

 port for New Spain. One enters the harbor by the Laja channel, 

 which is the most used ; for safe navigation of ships through it, since 

 there are many reefs and rocks and entrance is dangerous and diffi- 

 cult except in fair weather, they place little flags along the channel 

 on these reefs as signals and there hardly seems room enough for 

 the ships. One can get in also by the Gallega channel. The sailing 

 distance from Spain to this port is 1,900 leagues; it lies in full i8°N. 

 The harbor contains a small island little more than a gunshot off the 

 mainland ; here there is a fortress with garrison under a Warden 

 appointed by His Majesty in consultation with the Royal Council of 

 the Indies, with 100 Spanish soldiers for the defense of the harbor, 

 and (blank) bronze cannon ; there is on this island a wall or ram- 

 part 400 feet long with large, heavy bronze rings, to which they 

 fasten ships with strong cables because of the northers which blow 

 in this region from mid-September on ; otherwise they would run 

 great risk of loss. 



363. The city of New Vera Cruz is located opposite the fortress 

 of San Juan de Ulloa on the mainland at the water's edge; here is 



