[Footnote 307: Governor's Island. The Spaniards spoken of may have
been Verrazano's men.]

When we arrived at Gouanes, we heard a great noise, shouting and
singing in the huts of the Indians, who as we mentioned before, were
living there. They were all lustily drunk, raving, striking, shouting,
jumping, fighting each other, and foaming at the mouth like raging
wild beasts. Some who did not participate with them, had fled with
their wives and children to Simon's house, where the drunken brutes
followed, bawling in the house and before the door, which we finally
closed. And this was caused by Christians. It makes me blush to call
by that holy name those who live ten times worse than these most
barbarous Indians and heathen, not only in the eyes of those who can
discriminate, but according to the testimony of these poor Indians
themselves. What do I say, the testimony of the Indians! Yes, I have
not conversed with an European or a native born, the most godless and
the best, who has not fully and roundly acknowledged it, but they have
not acknowledged it salutarily, and much less desisted, disregarding
all convictions external and internal, notwithstanding all the injury
which springs therefrom, not only among the Indians, but others, as we
will show in its proper place. How will they escape the terrible
judgment of God; how evade the wrath and anger of the Lord and King,
Jesus, whom they have so dishonored and defamed, and caused to be
defamed among the heathen? Just judgment is their damnation. But I
must restrain myself, giving God all judgment and wrath, and keeping
only what he causes us to feel therefor. Such are the fruits of the
cursed cupidity of those who call themselves Christians for the very
little that these poor naked people have. Simon and his wife also do
their best in the same way, although we spoke to them severely on the
subject. They brought forward this excuse, that if they did not do it,
others would, and then they would have the trouble and others the
profit, but if they must have the trouble, they ought to have the
profit; and so they all said, and for the most part falsely, for they
all solicit the Indians as much as they can, and after begging their
money from them, compel them to leave their blankets, leggings, and
coverings of their bodies in pawn, yes, their guns and hatchets, the
very instruments by which they obtain their subsistence. This subject
is so painful and so abominable, that I w