These natives then explained that there was in the neighbourhood a very rich cacique, who was their enemy, and who yearly attacked them.  If the Spaniards would make war upon him, his downfall would enrich them and would deliver friendly natives from incessant anxiety.  Nothing would be easier, they said through their interpreters, than for you to help us, and we will act as your guides.  Vasco encouraged their hopes and sent them away satisfied.  In exchange for their presents he gave them some iron hatchets, which they prize more than heaps of gold.  For as they have no money—­that source of all evils—­they do not need gold.  The owner of one single hatchet feels himself richer than Crassus.[1] These natives believe that hatchets may serve a thousand purposes of daily life, while gold is only sought to satisfy vain desires, without which one would be better off.  Neither do they know our refinements of taste, which demand that sideboards shall be loaded with a variety of gold and silver vases.  These natives have neither tables, tablecloths, or napkins; the caciques may sometimes decorate their tables with little golden vases, but their subjects use the right hand to eat a piece of maize bread and the left to eat a piece of grilled fish or fruit, and thus satisfy their hunger.  Very rarely they eat sugar-cane.  If they have to wipe their hands after eating a certain dish, they use, instead of napkins, the soles of their feet, or their hips, or sometimes their testicles.  The same fashion prevails in Hispaniola.  It is true that they often dive into the rivers, and thus wash the whole of their bodies.

[Note 1:  Possibly a mis-copy of Croesus.]

Loaded with gold, but suffering intensely and so hungry they were scarcely able to travel, the Spaniards continued their march and reached the territory of a chief called Pochorroso, where during thirty days they stuffed themselves with maize bread, which is similar to Milanese bread.  Pochorroso had fled, but, attracted by coaxing and presents, he returned, and gifts were exchanged.  Vasco gave Pochorroso the usual acceptable articles, and the cacique gave Vasco fifteen pounds of melted gold and some slaves.  When they were about to depart, it transpired that it would be necessary to cross the territory of a chief called Tumanama, the same formerly described by the son of Comogre as the most powerful and formidable of those chiefs.  Most of Comogre’s servants had been this man’s slaves captured in war.  As is the case everywhere, these people gauged the power of Tumanama by their own standard, ignorant of the fact that these caciques, if brought face to face with our soldiers commanded by a brave and fortunate leader, were no more to be feared than gnats attacking an elephant.  When the Spaniards came to know Tumanama they quickly discovered that he did not rule on both sides of the mountain, nor was he as rich in gold as the young Comogre pretended.  Nevertheless they took the trouble to conquer him.  Pochorroso, being the enemy of Tumanama, readily offered Vasco his advice.