s laid on these
Gridirons, and thereon roasted, and not far off, Two or Three more
over-spread with the same Commodity, Man's Flesh; but the shril
Clamours which were heard there being offensive to the Captain, by
hindring his Repose, he commanded them to be strangled with a Halter.
The Executioner (whose Name and Parents at _Sevil_ are not unknown to
me) prohibited the doing of it; but stopt Gags into their Mouths to
prevent the hearing of the noise (he himself making the Fire) till that
they dyed, when they had been roasted as long as he thought convenient.
I was an Eye-Witness of these and and innumerable Number of other
Cruelties: And because all Men, who could lay hold of the opportunity,
sought out lurking holes in the Mountains, to avoid as dangerous Rocks
so Brutish and Barbarous a People, Strangers to all Goodness, and the
Extirpaters and Adversaries of Men, they bred up such fierce hunting
Dogs as would devour an _Indian_ like a Hog, at first sight in less
than a moment: Now such kind of Slaughters and Cruelties as these were
committed by the Curs, and if at any time it hapned, (which was rarely)
that the _Indians_ irritated upon a just account destroy'd or took away
the Life of any _Spaniard,_ they promulgated and proclaim'd this Law
among them, that One Hundred _Indians_ should dye for every individual
_Spaniard_ that should be slain.

_Of the Kingdoms contained in_ Hispaniola.

This Isle of _Hispaniola_ was made up of Six of their greatest
Kingdoms, and as many most Puissant Kings, to whose Empire almost all
the other Lords, whose Number was infinite, did pay their Allegiance.
One of these Kingdoms was called _Magua,_ signifying a Campaign or open
Country; which is very observable, if any place in the Universe
deserves taking notice of, and memorable for the pleasantness of its
Situation; for it is extended from South to North Eighty Miles, in
breadth Five, Eight, and in some parts Ten Miles in length; and is on
all sides inclosed with the highest Mountains; above Thirty Thousand
Rivers, and Rivulets water her Coasts, Twelve of which prodigious
Number do not yield in all in magnitude to those famous Rivers, the
_Eber, Duer,_ and _Guadalquivir;_ and all those Rivers which have their
Source or Spring from the Mountains lying Westerly, the number whereof
is Twenty Thousand) are very rich in Mines of Gold; on which Mountain
lies the Province of rich Mines, whence the exquisite Gold of Twenty
Four Caracts we