( 10 ) 



We then proceeded on our voyage by fome low Mands named ;Los 

 Baxos de los Martires, where the veffel on board which our captain was 

 ftruck ground, and in confeqiience took in fo much water that Ihe was 

 near finking; indeed we feared that our utmoft exertions in pumping 

 could not bring her into port. There were as I recolledl two failors of 

 the Levant on board : when we called to them to affifi: us in pumping 

 they replied, " facetelo vos ! Do it yourfelves !" At this time we were ex- 

 haufted by fatigue, and the veffel in the moft imminent danger of fink- 

 ing : however we forced them to give us their afiiftance, though un- 

 willingly: and by our exertions, with the bleffing of God, we arrived 

 fafely at Puerto de Carenas, where is now built the city of the Havan- 

 .nah. 



On our arrival an exprefs was forwarded to the Governor D. 

 Velafquez, to inform him that we had difcovered a Country where the 

 houfes were built of lime and fione, and the inhabitants decently clad j 

 that they fowed maize, and poffefled gold. Our captain went imme- 

 diately to his eftate near Santi Spiritus, where he died in ten days after 

 his arrival. Three fbldiers alfo died of their wounds in the Havannah, 

 and the reft difperfed to their different homes or avocations. The fame 

 of our difcovery was fpread through the Tflands by the veffels on 

 their arrival. When the figures and idols which they brought were 

 produced, it was believed that they were antiques conveyed to thofe 

 countries by a Jewifh colony, after the deftrudion of their city by Titus 

 and Vefpafian. Our Indian prifoners on being alked if their country 

 produced gold, replied in the affirmative, which is contrary to fad:, as 

 has been fince well afcertained. The name which that part of the con- 

 tinent now acquired, was owing to an equivocal exprefi^on or miftake of 

 words. Yuca is the Infular name of the plant made ufe of for bread, 

 the heap of earth in which it is planted is called by thefe people. Tale ; on 

 being queftioned relative to it, they faying they knew it, and ufing this 

 word with its fignification in their language, the two repeated together 

 made the word Yuca-tal, or Yucatan as it was expreffed by the Spaniards, 

 and ever after remained applied to that part of America. Such was all 



that 



