kets, and
taken in the ship, until she was off a village 17 miles from the former
anchorage, where the Admiral came to again. The village appeared to have
been lately built, for all the houses were new. The Indian then went on
shore in his canoe, bringing the news that the Admiral and his companions
were good people; although the intelligence had already been conveyed to
the village from the place where the natives had their interview with the
six Spaniards. Presently more than five hundred natives with their king
came to the shore opposite the ships, which were anchored very close to
the land. Presently one by one, then many by many, came to the ship
without bringing anything with them, except that some had a few grains of
very fine gold in their ears and noses, which they readily gave away. The
Admiral ordered them all to be well treated; and he says: "for they are
the best people in the world, and the gentlest; and above all I entertain
the hope in our Lord that your Highnesses will make them all Christians,
and that they will be all your subjects, for as yours I hold them." He
also saw that they all treated the king with respect, who was on the
sea-shore. The Admiral sent him a present, which he received in great
state. He was a youth of about 21 years of age, and he had with him an
aged tutor, and other councillors who advised and answered him, but he
uttered very few words. One of the Indians who had come in the Admiral's
ship spoke to him, telling him how the Christians had come from Heaven,
and how they came in search of gold, and wished to find the island of
Baneque. He said that it was well and that there was much gold in the
said island. He explained to the alguazil of the Admiral[181-1] that the
way they were going was the right way, and that in two days they would be
there; adding, that if they wanted anything from the shore he would give
it them with great pleasure. This king, and all the others, go naked as
their mothers bore them, as do the women without any covering, and these
were the most beautiful men and women that had yet been met with. They
are fairly white, and if they were clothed and protected from the sun and
air, they would be almost as fair as people in Spain. This land is cool,
and the best that words can describe. It is very high, yet the top of the
highest mountain could be ploughed with bullocks; and all is diversified
with plains and valleys. In all Castile there is no land that can be
co