the top of the mountain on Thursday, they beheld a great plain beyond of wonderful beauty, being eighty leagues long, and between twenty and thirty leagues wide.  This appeared one of the finest plains in the world, so green and delightful that the Spaniards thought it a terrestrial paradise, on which account the admiral named it Vega Real, or the Royal Plain.  Coming down from the mountain, they marched five leagues across this noble plain, passing through several towns, where they were kindly received.  Coming to a considerable river, called Yaqui by the natives, the admiral gave it the name of Rio de los Cannas, or River of Canes, because of the great number of these that grew upon its banks, forgetting, or not being aware, that he had named the same river at its mouth, in his first voyage, Rio del Oro, or golden river, where it falls into the sea near Monte Christo.  The Spanish party halted for the night on the banks of this river, much pleased with their days march.  The Indians whom they had brought along with them from the country near Isabella, went freely into all the houses as they marched along, taking whatever they had a mind to, as if all property were common, and the owners shewed no displeasure at this freedom:  These, in return, went to the quarters of the Christians, taking what they liked, believing that this had been equally the custom among the Spaniards.  The admiral and the infantry of his party crossed the river next day, by means of rafts and canoes, and the cavalry crossed at a ford not far off.  A league and half beyond the River of Canes, they came to another river which they called Rio del Oro, or Golden River, having found some grains of gold in its bed; but it is named Nicayagua by the natives.  Into this river three brooks, or rivulets, discharge their waters; the first of which, named Buenicum by the Indians, the Spaniards called Rio Seco, or the Dry River; the second is called Coatenicu by the natives, and the third Cibu, all of which were extremely rich in the finest gold.  Having passed this river, the admiral came to a town, whence most of the inhabitants fled at his approach; yet some remained, who placed a few canes across their doors, thinking themselves safe from intrusion by that simple artifice.  Seeing their simplicity, the admiral gave orders that no disturbance or wrong should be done them, on which they took courage and came out.  He continued his march to another river, which, from the delightful verdure of its banks, was called Rio Verde, or Green River; its bed being covered with round pebbles.  On Saturday the 15th of March, the admiral marched through other towns, where the inhabitants thought it a sufficient protection to place a few slight canes across their doors.  They next came to a pass in the mountains, on the opposite side of the Royal Plain, which was named Puerto de Cibao, because the province of Cibao began at the top of this path.