gradations from the coasts to the centre, sloping so gently that in mounting it, the ascent is scarcely noticeable.  Both the coast country and the interior of Jamaica are extremely fertile and populous.  According to the report of their neighbours, the natives of this island have a keener intelligence and are cleverer in mechanical arts, as well as more warlike than others.  And indeed, each time the Admiral sought to land in any place, they assembled in armed bands, threatening him, and not hesitating to offer battle.  As they were always conquered, they ended by making peace with him.  Leaving Jamaica to one side, the Admiral sailed to the west for seventy days with favourable winds.  He expected to arrive in the part of the world underneath us just near the Golden Chersonese, which is situated to the east of Persia.  He thought, as a matter of fact, that of the twelve hours of the sun’s course of which we are ignorant he would have only lost two.

[Note 13:  The island is about eighty-five miles from Cuba.  The name Jamaica, which has survived, meant in the native tongue “land of wood and water.”  It was really discovered on May 13th, but was not colonised until 1509.]

It is known that the ancients have only followed the sun during the half of its course, since they only knew that part of the globe which lies between Cadiz and the Ganges, or even to the Golden Chersonese.

During this voyage, the Admiral encountered marine currents as impetuous as torrents, with great waves and undercurrents, to say nothing of the dangers presented by the immense number of neighbouring islands; but he was heedless of these perils, and was determined to advance until he had ascertained whether Cuba was an island or a continent.  He continued, therefore, coasting the shores of the island, and always towards the west, to a distance, according to his report, of two hundred and twenty-two leagues, which is equal to about one thousand three hundred miles.  He gave names to seven thousand islands, and moreover beheld on his left hand more than three thousand others rising from the waves.  But let us return to those matters worthy to be remembered which he encountered during this voyage.

While the Admiral was carefully examining the character of these places, coasting along the shore of Cuba, he first discovered, not far from Alpha (that is from the end of it), a harbour sufficient for many ships.  Its entrance is in the form of a scythe, shut in on the two sides by promontories that break the waves; and it is large and of great depth.  Following the coast of this harbour, he perceived at a short distance from the shore two huts, and several fires burning here and there.  A landing was made, but no people were found; nevertheless there were wooden spits arranged about the fire, on which hung fish, altogether of about a hundred pounds’ weight, and alongside lay two serpents eight feet long.[14] The Spaniards were astonished, and looked about for