hose of Spain
and Italy, which Your Holiness has often examined, showing their
mountains, valleys, rivers, towns, and colonies. Let us boldly compare
Hispaniola to Italy, formerly the mistress of the universe. In point
of size Hispaniola is a trifle smaller than Italy. According to the
statements of recent explorers, it extends five hundred and forty
miles from east to west. As we have already noticed in our First
Decade, the Admiral had exaggerated its length. In certain places the
width of Hispaniola extends to three hundred miles. It is narrower at
the point where the land is prolonged in promontories, but it is much
more favoured than Italy for, throughout the greatest part of its
extent, it enjoys such an agreeable climate that neither the rigours
of cold nor excessive heats are known.[3] The two solstices are about
equal to the equinoxes. There is only one hour of difference between
day and night, according as one lives on the southern or the northern
coast of the island.

[Note 2: On the east is the gulf or bay of Samana, on the west
that of Gonaires.]

[Note 3: The superficial area of Haiti is 77,255 square
kilometres. The climatic conditions no longer correspond to Peter
Martyr's descriptions, as there are four seasons, recognised, two
rainy and two dry. In the upland, the temperature is invigorating and
wholesome.]

In several parts of the island, however, cold does prevail; Your
Holiness will understand that this is due to the position of the
mountain ranges, as I shall later demonstrate. The cold, however, is
never sufficiently severe to inconvenience the islanders with snow.
Perpetual spring and perpetual autumn prevail in this fortunate
island. During the entire year the trees are covered with leaves,
and the prairies with grass. Everything in Hispaniola grows in an
extraordinary fashion. I have already related elsewhere that the
vegetables, such as cabbages, lettuces, salads, radishes, and other
similar plants, ripen within sixteen days, while pumpkins, melons,
cucumbers, etc., require but thirty days. We have also stated that
animals brought from Spain, such as oxen, attain a greater size. When
describing the growth of these animals, it is claimed that the oxen
resemble elephants and the pigs, mules; but this is an exaggeration.
Pork has an agreeable taste and is wholesome, because the pigs feed
upon mirobolanes and other island fruits, which grow wild in the
forests, just as in Europe they eat beec