332 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



992. The pizma is the size and shape of a badger, but ugly, with 

 a long snout ; it has a note Hke a bird, and defends itself courageously 

 against whoever tries to do it harm. They have porcupines which 

 cast their quills if attacked ; and hedgehog-cats which sleep all day 

 and at night hunt mice, birds, and whatever small fry they can find. 

 And there are many other species of animals never known or seen 

 in Europe. 



993. In the great river Magdalena there are countless alligators, 

 as naturally fierce as I have described them elsewhere ; but this great 

 river has the largest number of them of any in the Indies. Its shores 

 are usually full of their eggs ; the Indians and Negroes break and 

 eat endless amounts of them, but they never give out. This must 

 suffice for the description of this jurisdiction. 



Chapter XV 



Of the State of Antioquia, and the Cities Comprised within Its 

 District ; and of Other Remarkable Things. 



994. The State of Antioquia borders on that of Popayan to the 

 S. at the city of Arma ; on the ESE., with Santa Fe de Bogota and 

 the country between the two rivers (entre los dos rios) ; and to the 

 NW., with the Atlantic, whose coast is under its jurisdiction. This 

 begins at the Rio Zenu, which separates it from the State of Carta- 

 gena ; in that quarter it runs near the town of Tolu and continues 

 along that coast up to Puerto Bello and Panama, along the Rio 

 Darien, into which run many others. This country is inhabited by 

 Urabaes Indians, who live near the seacoast where were originally 

 established the cities of Nuestra Senora del Antigua, in which the 

 Panama Cathedral was first built, and of Ada, in the days of the 

 valiant Commander Vasco Niinez de Balboa, who first discovered 

 the Pacific, and who subdued these tribes of the Urabaes and the 

 Guasusees their neighbors, and kept them in subjection and con- 

 verted them. 



995. But Gov. Pedro Arias de Avila unjustly beheaded his son- 

 in-law Commander Vasco Nuiiez, through jealousy and with flimsy 

 motives, to obscure his glories and his victories, and so these tribes 

 rose again in rebellion. Later they were subdued by Capt. Pedro 

 Martin, and he established a village ; but it was burned by the savage 

 Guasusees, and they massacred the Spaniards, so as to free themselves 

 from the obligation of service. We have sure information that these 

 Indians have great wealth of gold in their tombs. 



996. Coming up from Darien there are large provinces of hostile 

 Indians, and in particular along the Rio del Leon, which runs into 



