dition for the conquest of Yucatan, being followed by Hernando Cortes,
who, however, was compelled to stop at Havana (as it was called then), now
Batabano. In 1522 the distinctions of 'City' and 'Bishopric' were bestowed
upon the town, having been taken from the older town of Baracoa, where
they had been bestowed in honour of that place being the first European
settlement; and in 1527 Fr. Miguel Ramirez de Salamanca, first bishop of
the island, arrived and established here his headquarters.

"In 1528 Panfilo de Narvaez set sail from here on his expedition for the
conquest of Florida, where he met his fate and found a tomb.

"In 1528 Hernando de Soto arrived here with nearly one thousand men,
having been authorised, in addition to the command of his Florida
expedition, to assume that of the whole island of Cuba.

"In 1553 the city was captured by four hundred French arquebusiers, who
took possession of it until a ransom of $80,000 was paid, the invaders
remaining nearly a month in the city, and as late as 1592, so frequent
were the attacks of pirates on this town, that it is related the place was
almost depopulated by the inhabitants taking refuge at Bayamo, some
distance in the interior.

"In 1608, the cathedral having been ruined by an earthquake, the Bishop
Lalcedo removed his residence to Havana, and almost all the diocesans, as
well as the ecclesiastical chapter, did the same, which action created
great excitement, the superior governor and chief of the island opposing
it.

"The Parroquial Church of Havana was about to be made into a cathedral,
through the efforts of the prelate, Armen Dariz, but these were opposed by
the captain-general, Pereda. The bishop then excommunicated said chief and
all in his vicinity, all the clergy even going in procession to curse and
stone his house.

"In 1662 there was a serious attack made upon the place by a squadron of
fifteen vessels under Lord Winsor, whose people landed at the place now
known as the 'Aguadores,' and to the number of eight hundred men marched
without opposition on the city, of which they took possession, after
repulsing a small force sent out to meet them. The invaders, it appears,
partook freely of the church-bells, carried off the guns from the forts,
took charge of the slaves, and not finding the valuables they anticipated,
which had been carried off by the retreating inhabitants, they, in their
disappointment, blew up the Morro Castle, and destroyed the