82 THE ABORIGINES OF PORTO RICO [etii. anx. 23 



SO than Aguebaiia the elder, the eacique of the western end of the 

 island. This chief was a friend of Ponce and apparentlj- a fine type 

 of Indian. His animosity against the Spaniards was not so great as 

 that of his brother, who a j^ear or two after the first landing instigated 

 the uprising which destroyed the Spanish settlement. No one can 

 read the story of the Haitian chief Caonabo, of his perfidious capture, 

 and later of his bearing before Columbus, without admiration, for such 

 a man was cast in the same mold as those who are accounted heroes 

 among all races. 



Francisco Thamara, who probal)ly never visited America, and whose 

 clerical ofiice would lead us to e.xpect milder language, says of the 

 West Indian: "The race is vicious, hateful, lazy, cowardly, vile, of 

 bad inclinations, liars, ungrateful, of short memories, no firnmess, 

 idolatrous, and given to abominable customs." This terrible indict- 

 ment of a whole race, puljlished in 155-1, after admitting that there 

 are good Indians, was not shared by some other writers. A brighter 

 picture is shown in the exalted sentiments which Peter Martyr" 

 ascribes to the aged Cuban councilor in his conversation with Colum- 

 bus, given l)elow; the reader may agree with the author that they 

 contain much which is foreign to men of the state of culture of the 

 Antilleans: 



I have been advised, most mighty prince, that y<iu have of late with great power 

 snbdued many lands and regions heretofore unknown to you, and have brought great 

 fear on all the people and inhabitants thereof, wliich good fortune you will bear with 

 less insoleney if you remember that the souls of men have two journeys after they are 

 departed from this body; the one foul and dark, prepared for such as are injurious 

 and cruel to mankind; the other plea.sant and delightful, ordained for those who in 

 their lifetime loved jieace and quietness. If, therefore, you acknowledge yourself to 

 be mortal, and consider that every man shall receive just rewards or punishments 

 for such things as he hath done in this life, you will wrongfully hurt no man. 



Bernaldez, giving a somewhat different version, but still full of 

 exalted sentiments, writes, in substance, as follows:'' 



He had known how the admiral was going about exploring all the islands in these 

 parts and the continent (Cuba), and his being on the continent was known to them. 

 He told the admiral that he must not be vainglorious liecause all people were afraid 

 of him, for that he was mortal, like men; and he began by words and liy signs to 

 explain how men were born naked, and how they had an immortal soul, and that 

 when any member was diseased it was the soul that felt the pain; that at the time 

 of death, and their separation from the body, these sonls felt very great pain, and 

 that they went to the King of the heavens and into the abyss of the earth according 

 to the good or evil they had done and brought in the world. 



a The Famous Historie of the Indies: Declaring the Adventures of the Spaniards, which have con- 

 quered those countries, with Varietie of Relations, of the Religions, Laws, Government.s, Manners, 

 Ceremonies, Cvistoms, Rites, Wars and Funerals of the People; Comprised into sundry decads. set 

 forth in print by Mr Hakluyt, and now published by L. M. Gent, 2d ed., London, 1C28. 



See also Nicolo Scillacio (1494 or 1'495) . This writer took his material almost wholly from the letters 

 of Guillermo Coma. English translation by Rev. John Mulligan, New York. ISM. 



(iBoth Peter Martyr's and Bernaldez's interpretation of the "aged councilor's" words arc highly 

 colored with their own thoughts, showing, possibly, as much prejudice in his favor as Thamara showed 

 adverse prejudice in his indictment of the whole race. 



