were so high that their heights cannot be told except to say that
in their deep valleys the rays of the sun do not penetrate. So weak did
we become from ascending these hills on account of the fatigue, as well
as by going down, because of the stony ground, or for both reasons, it
was necessary to make use of the trees, which cover the hills, the most
of which are the said palms called _Cumes_, full of penetrating thorns,
which injured our feet, hands and bodies, since falling from weariness,
we were wont to strike against them.

"On the top, then, of one of these hills, we found a broad _aguada_,--a
thing which surprised us much, since there were not any other high
places around it, from which the water could come. There were there
very many flint stones which caused injury enough to our feet on
account of our going barefoot. I do not know to what to attribute that
water on that high hill top, since in the preceding ravines, which, for
the most part, were rivers, although now dry, water was not found,
except to a miracle, by which God gave us to understand that he had not
forgotten our needs, since with so much climbing up and down as we had
been through, we were thirsty enough, so that God furnished this
_aguada_, from which we had a very good drink. In about an eighth of a
mile we came to the descent from this height, after which we passed two
days of woods, some that were somewhat level, without so many or so
high hills, but it is wonderful that though these forests in which we
traveled for two days and the three preceding ones, consist of an
infinite number of _sapote_ and _ramon_ trees, we did not find in them
all a bit to eat,--a thing which happens in these woods as in the rest
that I saw. Seeing their sterility, I said, 'They appeared in every
respect like those of Gilboa.'"

Deserted Buildings. "With so few comforts and so great affliction, our
strength went on diminishing very quickly, knowing for truth the
proverb which the Biscayans, my fellow countrymen, say: 'It is the guts
which carry and support the legs and not the legs, the guts.' Among
these high hills which we passed over, there is a variety of old
buildings, excepting some in which I recognized apartments, and though
they were very high and my strength was little, I climbed up them
(though with trouble). They were in the form of a convent, with the
small cloisters and many living rooms all roofed over, and arched like
a wagon and whitened inside