pleasant and delightful, and is appointed for the reception of those who promote peace among mortals.  If, therefore, you expect to die, and that men will be rewarded hereafter according to their deserts in this life, you will not harm those who do you none.  What you have been now engaged in is good, as I suppose you have been giving thanks to God.”  This man said, moreover, that he had been in Hispaniola and Jamaica, and to the farther end of Cuba, and that the lord of that country was clad like the priest he had seen officiating.  All this was understood by the admiral by means of an interpreter, and he was amazed at the ingenious discourse of the old Indian, to whom he made the following answer:  “He was much rejoiced to learn that the natives believed in the immortality of the soul, and in future rewards and punishments.  As for himself, he was sent to take a view of the countries by a powerful monarch, and to inquire if there were any who did wrong to others; and hearing that the Caribbees did so, he was resolved to curb them, that all might live together in peace.”  The old cacique shed tears of joy at this intelligence, and declared he would accompany the admiral into Spain, were it not on account of his wife and children.  Being presented with some toys by the admiral, he knelt down in great admiration, often asking whether these men were born in heaven or on the earth.

Leaving that place, the winds and torrents of rain seem to have conspired to obstruct his progress; and at one time a water spout fell upon the deck of his ship, so that it appeared a miraculous interposition of Providence which enabled them to lower the sails, and let go the anchors.  So much water was shipped at this time, that it required the utmost exertions of the crew at the pumps to free the ship.  In addition to all their distresses, the people were now reduced to a pound of rotten biscuit, and half a pint of wine a-day for each man, having no other provisions, unless when they happened to take some fish.  Under all these difficulties, the admiral arrived on the 18th of July at Cape Cruz, where he remained three days, as the Indians supplied the people liberally with fruit and provisions.  On Tuesday the 22d of July, as the wind was still adverse for his return to Isabella in the island of Hispaniola, he struck over to the island of Jamaica, which he named Sant Jago.  He coasted along this island to the westwards, admiring its delightful appearance and numerous harbours.  Great numbers of Indians followed the ships along the coast, and freely parted with such provisions as the country afforded, which the Spaniards thought better than they had met with in any of the other islands.  But he never failed to have heavy rains every evening, which he endeavoured to account for by the proximity of such extensive woods.  At one place he saw a very beautiful bay, having seven small islands, one of which was extraordinary high land.  The admiral thought this island very large and beautiful, and to have an unusual number of towns; but it afterwards turned out to be Jamaica itself, which is eighty leagues long and fifty broad[7].