224 JOURNAL OF GALLECO. 



we arrived close off a town which the Indians abandoned when 

 they saw us. We found there, ma,nj pmioes and ndrms (yams) with 

 which we loaded the brigantine. I tried to catch a tame white 

 parrot, which the Indians had together with many others of various 

 hues. When the Indians saw that we did no harm, they all 

 assembled, and came and gave us a hog to induce us to go. Pre- 

 sently we sailed on to another river, on the bank of which there is 

 a larse town : we anchored in it. The Indians be^an to make fires, 

 and to cast the fire in the air ;^ it was a thing we had not seen in 

 any other part. 



"On the next day, which was the 6th of June, the Feast of the 

 Holy Ghost, we reached the ships, and found them all very sad. 

 It appeared that on the Day of the Ascension, the steward with 

 four soldiers and five negroes were sent on shore for water. As on 

 previous occasions, they were sent because the cacique of that tribe 

 was a friend and used to come off to the ships to give us cocoa-nuts, 

 whilst his men used to fetch the water in the earthen jars, and 

 because we trusted them for the friendly manner in which they 

 behaved in their dealings with as. This day, however, when they 

 were gone for the water, it seemed that the boat got aground 

 because they had not taken care to keep her afloat as she was being 

 filled. At this moment, the Indians rushed out from ambush with 

 their weapons and were upon them ; and they did not leave a 

 single soul alive except a negro of mine who escaped. All the rest 

 they hewed to pieces, cutting off their heads, and arms, and legs, 

 tearing out their tongues, and supping up their brains^ with great 

 ferocity. The negro who escaped took to the water to swim off to 

 an islet that was near. However, they swam in pursuit, and with 

 a cutlass, which he carried in his hand, he defended himself from 

 them in such a manner that they left him, and he reached the islet. 

 From there he began to make signs, and to shout out to those in 

 the ships, which they perceived ; and as quickly as possible the 

 General went ashore to see wliat had happened. When he reached 

 there, the ill tidings were told. The Indians retired to the hills. 

 In a short time, the dead Christians were recovered ; and they 

 buried them in the place where they used to say mass, the soldiers 



^ " hechar por lo alto." 



2 The New Irelaml cannibals of the present day are fond of a composition of sago, 

 cocoa-nut, and human brains. ("Tho Western Pacific and New Guinea." London 1886: 

 p. 58: byH. H. Komilly.) 



