They gave us some small pearls and eleven large ones, and they told us by signs that if we would wait some days they would go and fish for them and bring us many of them.  We did not wish to be detained, so with many parrots of various colors, and in good friendship, we parted from them.  From these people we learned that those of the before-mentioned island were cannibals and ate human flesh.  We issued from this gulf and sailed along the coast, seeing continually great numbers of people, and when we were so disposed we treated with them, and they gave us everything we asked of them.  They all go as naked as they were born, without being ashamed.  If all were to be related concerning the little shame they have, it would be bordering on impropriety; therefore it is better to suppress it.

After having sailed about four hundred leagues continually along the coast, we concluded that this land was a continent, which might be bounded by the eastern parts of Asia, this being the commencement of the western part of the continent, because it happened often that we saw divers animals, such as lions, stags, goats, wild hogs, rabbits, and other land animals which are not found in islands, but only on the mainland.  Going inland one day with twenty men, we saw a serpent which was about twenty-four feet in length, and as large in girth as myself.  We were very much afraid of it, and the sight of it caused us to return immediately to the sea.  I oftentimes saw many very ferocious animals and serpents.

Thus sailing along the coast, we discovered every day a great number of people, speaking various languages.  When we had navigated four hundred leagues along the coast we began to find people who did not wish for our friendship, but stood waiting for us with arms, which were bows and arrows, and with some other arms which they use.  When we went to the shore in our boats, they disputed our landing in such a manner that we were obliged to fight with them.  At the end of the battle they found that they had the worst of it, for, as they were naked, we always made great slaughter.  Many times not more than sixteen of us fought with two thousand of them, and in the end defeated them, killing many and robbing their houses.

One day we saw a great many people, all posted in battle array to prevent our landing.  We fitted out twenty-six men, well armed, and covered the boats, on account of the arrows which were shot at us, and which always wounded some of us before we landed.  After they had hindered us as long as they could, we leaped on shore, and fought a hard battle with them.  The reason why they had so much courage and fought with such great exertion against us was that they did not know what kind of a weapon the sword was, or how it cuts.  While thus engaged in combat, so great was the multitude of people who charged upon us, throwing at us such a cloud of arrows, that we could not withstand the assault, and, nearly abandoning