WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES — VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 313 



poultry in exchange for deep-sea coral, axes, machetes, knives, and 

 other things. From the town of Tolu come frigates loaded with fat 

 hogs, tortoises, poultry, bananas, planks, and other things for the 

 provisioning of the city. 



928. There are other farms, called Baru, on islands at 6 and 7 

 leagues from the city, and on what is called the Isla Fuerte, at 14 

 leagues ; from all of these they bring by boat the crops they raise 

 there, for the city's supplies. Half a league away is the Cienega 

 (Swamp) called Tesca, from which they provide themselves with 

 fish, which are abundant there — robalos, lebranches, lisas, mojarras, 

 large sabalos (shad) and many other varieties of excellent fish. 

 During the rainy season this swamp overflows and communicates 

 with the sea, at which time it is impossible to cross it, for it is very 

 deep ; the sea fish then run in to spawn, and while the water rises, 

 the force of the sea breeze closes the inlet, so that it stays full of 

 fish and abundantly supplied. 



929. Inland there are excellent Indian villages, where they grow 

 quantities of corn and raise much poultry and swine. The village 

 of Tubara nets its encomendero 6,000 pesos a year. It was here 

 that the curate and missionary was the glorious Padre San Luis 

 Beltran ; he taught the natives of this village and neighborhood 

 Christian doctrine and good morals, like a real master and minister 

 of the Gospel. 



930. The Indian village of Sipacua is larger than Tubara, and 

 nets over 8,000 pesos annually. That of Malambo is 26 leagues from 

 Cartagena and 2 from the Rio Grande (de La Magdalena) ; from 

 its harbor one travels by boat to Santa Marta, sailing 16 leagues. 

 This suffices to describe the Diocese of Cartagena and all that is in it. 



Chapter IV 



Of the City of Santa Marta and the District of Its Diocese and 

 State. 



931. The city of Santa Marta lies 30 leagues E. of Cartagena, at 

 10° N. These provinces were discovered and subdued by the Com- 

 mander Rodrigo de Bastidas, and in the year 1524 he founded here 

 the city of Santa Marta, in level country on the seashore. It has 

 a famous harbor, one of the best in the Indies ; it has a hot climate, 

 but healthy, because of the breezes which usually blow here. At the 

 start the city was well settled, for the country is rich and prolific ; 

 but it has gone downhill, its residents leaving the city and deserting 

 the country on account of the exactions which the governors have 



