When a child is born, all the caciques and neighbours assemble and enter the mother’s chamber.  The first to arrive salutes the child and gives it a name, and those who follow do likewise; “Hail, brilliant lamp,” says one; “Hail, thou shining one,” says another; or perhaps “Conqueror of enemies,” “Valiant hero,” “More resplendent than gold,” and so on.  In this wise the Romans bore the titles of their parents and ancestors:  Adiabenicus, Particus, Armenicus, Dacicus, Germanicus.  The islanders do the same, in adopting the names given them by the caciques.  Take, for instance, Beuchios Anacauchoa, the ruler of Xaragua, of whom and his sister, the prudent Anacaona, I have already spoken at length in my First Decade.  Beuchios Anacauchoa was also called Tareigua Hobin, which means “prince resplendent as copper.”  So likewise Starei, which means “shining”; Huibo, meaning “haughtiness”; Duyheiniquem, meaning a “rich river.”  Whenever Beuchios Anacauchoa publishes an order, or makes his wishes known by heralds’ proclamation, he takes great care to have all these names and forty more recited.  If, through carelessness or neglect, a single one were omitted, the cacique would feel himself grievously outraged; and his colleagues share this view.

Let us now examine their peculiar practices when drawing up their last wills.  The caciques choose as heir to their properties, the eldest son of their sister, if such a one exists; and if the eldest sister has no son, the child of the second or third sister is chosen.  The reason is, that this child is bound to be of their blood.  They do not consider the children of their wives as legitimate.  When there are no children of their sisters, they choose amongst those of their brothers, and failing these, they fall back upon their own.  If they themselves have no children, they will their estates to whomsoever in the island is considered most powerful, that their subjects may be protected by him against their hereditary enemies.  They have as many wives as they choose, and after the cacique dies the most beloved of his wives is buried with him.  Anacaona, sister of Beuchios Anacauchoa, King of Xaragua, who was reputed to be talented in the composition of areytos, that is to say poems, caused to be buried alive with her brother the most beautiful of his wives or concubines, Guanahattabenecheua; and she would have buried others but for the intercession of a certain sandal-shod Franciscan friar, who happened to be present.  Throughout the whole island there was not to be found another woman so beautiful as Guanahattabenecheua.  They buried with her her favourite necklaces and ornaments, and in each tomb a bottle of water and a morsel of cazabi bread were deposited.