ves. They embarked in the boats, and landed. They were
accompanied by a priest, and expected to be attacked by a great number
of Indians. Being prepared for defence, they arranged themselves in
good order, and came to the tower, where they found no one; and in all
the environs they did not see a single man. The commandant mounted upon
the tower with the standard bearer, the flag unfurled. He planted this
standard upon one of the facades of the tower, took possession in the
name of the king, in presence of witnesses, and drew up a declaration
of said taking possession.

"The ascent to this tower was by eighteen steps; the base was very
massive, one hundred and eighty feet in circumference. At the top rose
a small tower of _the height of two men placed_ one upon the other.
Within were figures, bones, and idols that they adored. From these
marks we supposed that they were idolaters. While the commandant was at
the top of the tower with many of our people, an Indian, followed by
three others who kept the doors, put in the interior a vase with very
odoriferous perfumes, which seemed of storax. This Indian was old; he
burned many perfumes before the idols which were in the tower, and sang
in a loud voice a song, which was always in the same tone. We supposed
that he was invoking his idols.... These Indians carried our commandant
with ten or twelve Spaniards, and gave them to eat in a hall
constructed of stones very close together, and covered with straw.
Before the hall was a large well, from which everybody drank.... They
then left us alone, and we entered the village, where all the houses
were built of stone. Among others, we saw five very well made, and
commanded by small towers. The _base_ of these edifices is _very large_
and _massive_; the _building is very small at the top_. They appeared
to have been built a long time, but there are also modern ones.

"That village, or bourg, was paved with concave stones. The streets,
elevated at the sides, descended, inclining toward the middle, which
was paved entirely with large stones. The sides were occupied by the
houses of the inhabitants. They are constructed of stone from the
foundation to half the height of the walls, and covered with straw. To
_judge by the edifices and houses, these Indians appear to be very
ingenious_; and if we had not seen a number of recent constructions, we
should have thought that these buildings were the works of the
Spaniards. This island appears