people, who stood looking at us with astonishment.  We anchored within about a mile of the land, fitted out the boats, and twenty-two men, well armed, made for land.  The people, when they saw us landing, and perceived that we were different from themselves—­because they have no beard and wear no clothing of any description, being also of a different color, they being brown and we white—­began to be afraid of us, and all ran into the woods.  With great exertion, by means of signs, we reassured them and negotiated with them.  We found that they were of a race called cannibals, the greater part or all of whom live on human flesh.

Your excellency may rest assured of this fact.  They do not eat one another, but, navigating with certain barks which they call ‘canoes,’ they bring their prey from the neighboring islands or countries inhabited by those who are enemies or of a different tribe from their own.  They never eat any women, unless they consider them outcasts.  These things we verified in many places where we found similar people.  We often saw the bones and heads of those who had been eaten, and they who had made the repast admitted the fact, and said that their enemies always stood in much greater fear on that account.

Still they are a people of gentle disposition and beautiful stature.  They go entirely naked, and the arms which they carry are bows and arrows and shields.  They are a people of great activity and much courage.  They are very excellent marksmen.  In fine, we held much intercourse with them, and they took us to one of their villages, about two leagues inland, and gave us our breakfast.  They gave whatever was asked of them, though I think more through fear than affection; and after having been with them all one day, we returned to the ships, still remaining on friendly terms with them.

We sailed along the coast of this island, and saw by the seashore another large village of the same tribe.  We landed in the boats, and found they were waiting for us, all loaded with provisions, and they gave us enough to make a very good breakfast, according to their ideas of dishes.  Seeing they were such kind people, and treated us so well, we dared not take anything from them, and made sail till we arrived at a gulf which is called the Gulf of Paria.  We anchored opposite the mouth of a great river, which causes the water of this gulf to be fresh, and saw a large village close to the sea.  We were surprised at the great number of people who were seen there.  They were without arms, and seemed peaceably disposed.  We went ashore with the boats, and they received us with great friendship, and took us to their houses, where they had made very good preparations for breakfast.  Here they gave us three sorts of wine to drink, not of the juice of the grape, but made of fruits, like beer, and they were excellent.  Here, also, we ate many fresh acorns, a most royal fruit.  They gave us many other fruits, all different from ours and of very good flavor, the flavor and odor of all being aromatic.