the
land was well populated and tilled, and with many trees and thick groves,
the most beautiful thing in the world, the trees reaching to the sea.
Here it may be remarked that when the trees of the country grow down to
the water's edge it indicates that such a coast is not exposed to high
seas, because when the coast is so exposed trees do not grow down to the
water, but there is an open sandy shore. The current, _surgente_, which
is that which comes down, and the _montante_, which is that which ascends
from below, he says appear to be great. The island which lies to the
south he says is very large, because he was already going along with the
mainland in sight although he did not think so, but that it was an
island.

He says that he came to search for a harbor along the island of Trinidad,
Thursday, August 2, and arrived at the cape of the island of Trinidad,
which is a point, to which he gave the name "Punta del Arenal,"[334-1]
which is to the west: so that he had in a sense already entered in the
gulf which he called "de la Ballena,"[334-2] where he underwent great
danger of losing his ships, and he as yet did not know that he was
becoming encircled by land as will be seen. This gulf is a wonderful
thing and dangerous on account of the very great river that flows into it
which is called the Yuyapari,[334-3] the last syllable long. It comes
from more than 300 and I believe more than 400 leagues, and it has been
traversed for 300 leagues up stream partly with a ship, partly with
brigantines and partly with large canoes. And since the force of the
water is very great at all times and particularly so in this season of
July and August in which the Admiral was there, which is the season of
high water as in Castile in October and November, and since it wants
naturally to get to the sea, and the sea with its great mass under the
same natural impulse wants to break upon the land, and since this gulf is
enclosed by the mainland on one side and on the other by the island of
Trinidad, and since it is very narrow for such a violent force of
contrary waters, it must needs be that when they meet a terrific struggle
takes place and a conflict most perilous for those that find themselves
in that place.

He says here that the island of Trinidad is large, because from the Cape
of Galera to the Point of Arenal, where he was at the present time, he
says it is 35 leagues. I say that it is more than 45, as he that desires
may see by the