HARTMAN: ARCHEOLOGIUAL RESEARCHES ON THE PACIFIC COAST OF COSTA RICA Ti 
find no satisfaction in the truth, because, instead of being masters as they originally 
were, they have now been made slaves, and in their rites, ceremonies, and vices they 
have been encouraged. What can you expect from their friendship? Furthermore 
we were far from the succor and help of the Christians, and in the house of one of 
the chiefs of that tribe, and ina country, where the people can with impunity 
make attacks by land and sea against whomsoever they wish. All these things dis- 
posed us to fear. It is true that one of the caciques, who has boasted most of the 
friendship of the Spaniards, is the one called Nicoya, and as baptized D. Alonso» 
but whose Indian name is Nambi. When we asked him for some Indians, whose 
services we needed, he said: ‘I have no Indians, but Christians, and if you desire 
Christians, I shall place them at your disposal.’ We replied ‘‘Then send us some 
Christians, who can do what we want.’ Presently he sent us as many Indians as 
requested and they did what they were ordered to do.” 
But listen now to what follows concerning the baptism of this cacique and what 
his people did. It is as follows: 
“On Saturday the 19th of August, 1529, the cacique D. Alonso of the province 
of Nicoya, who was also called Nambi, which in his native tongue, the Choroteguan, 
signifies dog, sat down on a ‘duho’ or small bench in the square of Nicoya, much 
pleased and happy, together with his most prominent men and about seventy or 
eighty other Indians on two other benches. Then in another part of the same 
square about two hours before dark eighty or a hundred Indians, who doubtless 
belonged to the common people, began to sing and dance in a circle. A girl then 
began to serve them in jicara-cups a drink made of maize, very strong and somewhat 
sourish, resembling in color chicken-broth, when the yolk of one or two eggs is 
mixed with it. And, as they began to drink, the same cacique drew forth a handful 
of tobacco-rolls about four inches long and as thick asa finger and made of a certain 
leaf rolled up and tied together with threads of the cabuya-fiber. ‘This tobacco-plant 
is grown with great care on account of the effect of the leaves, and they light the 
roll at one end and smoke it like a pipe until it ceases burning, which may last a 
day. Now and then they put the end opposite the fire into the mouth and inhale 
the smoke for a short while, and then blow it out through the mouth and nostrils. 
Each of the Indians I have mentioned had one of these rolled-up leaves, which they 
call ‘ yapoquete’ and in the language of the island Haiti, or Espafiola, ‘tabacco.’ 
“And the Indians, both men and women, continued to drink the above-men- 
tioned beverage, going and coming with it, and in the course of this drinking there 
were brought large cups of cacao prepared as they are accustomed to drink it. Of 
this, however, they took only two or three draughts, passing it from hand to hand, 
