424 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



1216. On learning of the rebel, the Provincial decided to go to 

 Santo Domingo to bring word to the Circuit Court, so that a force 

 might be sent against him ; and he thought that on the way it would 

 be opportune for him to anchor within sight of Margarita, so that 

 some of the rebel's soldiers might join him. But the soldiers told 

 him to do no such thing ; that the soldiers with the rebel Lope de 

 Aguirre were very stubborn and would not oppose the rebel's will, 

 nor would they wish to do so. The Provincial held to his proposal 

 and came in sight of Margarita and anchored in its harbor and began 

 firing his cannon at the rebel and shooting Lombardy guns ; and he 

 came out with all his force and banners flying, and began firing at 

 him with the harquebusses, and shooting from the fortress with 

 Lombardy guns. And as this cruel and inhuman rebel was not sated 

 with murdering people, he went out of the camp, leaving his Militia 

 Captain with his force, and came to the city and had the poor Gover- 

 nor of Margarita garroted, and the Alcaldes and Alguacil Mayor, 

 and six other residents of this city and island, and two of the leading 

 women ; and the friar hoisted sail and went off to Santo Domingo 

 to give word to the Circuit Court. And the rebel Lope de Aguirre, 

 after having vented his cruelty, wishing to get away from there 

 before they should descend upon him, found it necessary to build a 

 ship again in order to leave [there]. It took 28 days to build it; 

 in that period he killed 13 more soldiers, and he put placards on 

 many of them, saying they were servants of the King, and on others, 

 saying they were useless and unprofitable. And after seeing that his 

 own men had been involved in depriving him of the ship, and that 

 the whole coast was roused, and that two ships of the fleet which 

 he had information were coming, might sink him, he decided to leave 

 for Borburata, 7 leagues from Nueva Valencia (Marg. : in the 

 Province of Venezuela), and the first port on the mainland, and so 

 he embarked with his troop in the ship he had built. I had kept 

 myself hidden in a farmhouse in order to see myself rid of the tyrant ; 

 it was a miracle I did not get caught, for it is certain he would have 

 showed me no more mercy than the others. The moment I saw his 

 ship put up sail, I came out as if I had been born that very day, 

 giving thanks to God that I was free of the tyrant and out of his 

 clutches after all these trials ; and poverty-stricken as I was, I exulted. 

 He left the city and island of Margarita in ruins, and plundered 

 the widows in their lamentations ; it would take a long time to recount 

 their misfortunes. He went off with his crew, stubborn though already 

 quarreling and discontented ; and he anchored in the harbor of Bor- 

 burata, where they began to disintegrate, [each man starting out for 



