and, from his own description, it may be inferred that his
language towards his countrymen was not in strict conformity with
sacerdotal usage. No sufficient explanation of this lamentable occurrence
has ever been given, but Las Casas says that if the man who began the
massacre was the one he suspected, he later met a dreadful death. It has
been alleged that a soldier mistook some movement of the crowd in pressing
forward to see the horses, for a beginning of hostilities, and, as there
had been a surprise practised on Narvaez's men a short time before in
Bayamo, the man was seized with a sudden panic of fear that the little
force of one hundred men was about to be attacked and overcome by mere
force of numbers while off their guard, lost his head, and began to use
his sword; the others, seeing their comrade fighting, rushed into the
melee and before reason could get the upper hand, the mischief was done.
The natural consequence of this unprovoked massacre was a general flight
of the Indians from their towns, all who could, taking refuge in the
neighbouring islands.

The Spanish camp was established near Caonao and one day shortly after the
massacre an old Indian servant of Las Casas, called Camacho, came to him
to say that a young man about twenty-five years old and his younger
brother had returned and begged to be admitted as servants into his
household. This young Indian was baptised under the name of Adrianico and
served as interpreter and intermediary to induce the other Indians to
return to their villages, so that little by little some degree of peace
and tranquillity was established throughout the province. The Governor
quickly discovered that the simplest means of securing obedience was to
send a messenger bearing any bit of paper on a stick, to say in the name
of Las Casas whatever was to be done, and this became the means usually
employed to maintain order. Thousands of the natives were instructed and
baptised during this expedition. It was at this time that news was
received of the existence of several Spanish prisoners held by a cacique,
in the province of Havana, some hundred leagues distant, and Las Casas
sent his habitual Indian messenger carrying the sacred paper to tell that
cacique that the paper meant he was to send those prisoners at once, under
pain of the Behique's severest displeasure. After the departure of this
messenger, the Spaniards struck their camp and went on to a place called
Carahal