tural words. It is understood,
from some signs that we saw them make, that they are all pagans;
and that they worship idols and the devil, to whom they sacrifice the
booty obtained from their neighbors in war. It is believed that they
originated from the Tartars, from certain peculiarities found among
them which correspond to those found in that people.

These islands extend north and south with the land of Labrador,
which lies near Terra-nova [Newfoundland], and are not a great
distance from Japon. [35] It is quite safe to say that they have
intercourse with the Tartars, and that they buy iron to sell it to
the latter. The Spaniards who passed these islands called them the
islands of Ladrones ["Thieves"]; for in sober truth all these people
are thieves, and very bold ones, very deft in stealing; and in this
science they might instruct the Gitanos [gypsies], who wander through
Europe. In verification of this, I will recount an occurrence witnessed
by many Spaniards, one which caused much wonder. While a sailor was
stationed, by the order of the captain, on the port side of the ship,
with orders to allow none to come aboard, and while he, sword in hand,
was absent-mindedly looking at some of the canoes of the islanders--a
sort of little boat all made of one piece, in which they sail--one
of the natives plunged under the water and swam to where he was,
quite unconscious of anything of the sort, and without his seeing it,
snatched the sword from his hand and swam back with it. At the cry of
the sailor, proclaiming the trick practiced on him by the islander,
several soldiers with their arquebuses were stationed to shoot the
native when he should emerge from the water. The islander on seeing
this emerged from the water, holding up his hands, and making signs
that he had nothing in them. For this reason those who were on the
point of shooting him refrained. After a few moments of rest, the
native dived once more, and swam under water, until out of range of the
arquebuses--where, assured of safety, he took the sword from between
his legs where he had hidden it, and commenced to make passes with
it, jeering the while at our men whom he had deceived so easily. This
theft, as well as many very adroit ones that they committed, has given
these people the name of Ladrones, and is the reason for calling all
the islands inhabited by them by the same name. This appellation is
easily pardoned as long as they find opportunity to exercise