ading what is herein written. Among them, up to the present day,
I have not observed any sin against nature, which is saying a great
deal of so uncivilized a race; yet with regard to their treatment
of women, they are so vicious and licentious that any race whatever
might excel them, and this is no insignificant evil and sin. Their
custom in taking wives is the following.

Whoever is the richest and has the most gold also has the most wives,
and offends most God. There is a law among these natives which is
not bad--namely, that however many wives a man has, among them all he
regards one as his legitimate wife; and if, when he dies, he has no
children by this woman, the children of the others do not inherit. In
illustration of the truth of this, one may cite the death of Laya,
whom I have already mentioned. When this man died, a Christian, he had
no children by his legitimate wife, and although he had many by his
other wives, they did not inherit; therefore his property descended
to a legitimate nephew of his. It is true, however, that the bastard
children may deprive them of their property. I have above shown the
characteristics and mode of government among these natives. They do
not care to know more than that they are Indians, like all the other
Indians. The chiefs are but slightly distinguished in dress from
the slaves and freemen. Both women and men wear anklets of gold, and
bracelets upon their arms. In regard to the wars waged between them
and the Spaniards hitherto, I have already told the principal exploits
of captains and soldiers among them. I have already designated the
captains who have achieved the most noted deeds in this conquest; and
nothing further will be found. If it were necessary to give proof by
calling upon all who are in this land, I would be ready to do that. As
to what has taken place among the Pintados and among the Portuguese,
my relation does not concern itself therewith; but I claim that the
most important events which have occurred on these islands, touching
the relations between the natives and the Spaniards, are those related
and declared by me. As for the Portuguese, I shall say only that
the Spaniards have shown great fidelity and bravery in the service
of his Majesty, although they never came to a hand-to-hand struggle
with the Portuguese--except in a few ambuscades, where they took some
captives, as has been written at great length by many chroniclers who
live here. May God grant tha