234 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



and where they load native products for export. But the chief port 

 is that of Amatique, named Santo Thomas de Castilla, as it was 

 discovered by that great administrator, Dr. Alonso Criado de Castilla. 

 He was Justice of the Circuit Court of Panama for the years 1573, 

 1574, 1578, and 1579, in which he subdued the fugitive slaves, who 

 had rebelled and looted and devastated all the province, and had 

 their headquarters in the Cerro de Cabra ; those of the Puerto Bello 

 faction and of that of Vallano, he brought under control in the year 

 1582, and settled them in the village of Santiago del Principe. Thus 

 the entire country was pacified, an achievement of great service to 

 His Majesty, and for his good services he was promoted to the 

 Circuit Court of Lima ; here he continued this record, thanks to his 

 foresight and Christian character, and was advanced to be President 

 at Santiago de Guatemala in the year 1596. As a man of wide 

 experience in affairs of the Indies, he realized that there was no 

 suitable harbor; Puerto Caballos was unsatisfactory because of the 

 disastrous enemy raids there and of its lack of safety for the ships 

 coming from Spain to those provinces. In the year 1604 he discovered 

 the harbor of Amatique, and sent Capt. Don Esteban de Alvarado 

 with distinguished pilots there; they sounded the harbor and found 

 it deep and ample. So in that same year of 1604, on the day of 

 St. Thomas Aquinas, they established the port there, and to com- 

 memorate the Saint and the President, at whose orders it was founded, 

 they gave the port the name of Santo Thomas de Castilla. For its 

 greater security he subdued and pacified the Indian tribe of the 

 Tequeguas ; they were baptized and have been peaceful ever since, 

 and serve in the port, which is very safe and adequate. From its 

 entrance to the Morro it is a league long, E. and W., and i^ leagues 

 across N. and S., all deep and clear, without rocks or shoals except 

 for a mud bank which would serve as a cushion for any ship resting 

 on it ; this is all due to that f arsighted governor. This Corregimiento 

 of Casabastran borders to the N. on the Alcaldia Mayor of Verapaz. 

 670. The Province of Verapaz is 50 leagues NE. of Guatemala. 

 From the time of its discovery until 1609 it had a Bishop; but in 

 view of its poverty and for other reasons. His Majesty ordered it 

 to be annexed to the Diocese of Guatemala. Some of the Bishops 

 who have presided in that city were unwilling to justify this, in view 

 of the overwide jurisdiction of this Diocese of Guatemala, such that 

 it was impossible to make all the episcopal visits and confirmations ; 

 but finally Bishop Don Fray Juan Zapata accepted the situation and 

 conformed to it, so that now with full justice this Diocese of Guatemala 

 may be made an Archbishopric, for the reasons stated in the pre- 

 ceding chapters and those presented by the city in its petition. 



