customs with regard to sacrifices and witchcraft, for they actually practice these; but there is little advantage in wasting the time or burdening the mind therewith, for any rational person will be able to understand sufficiently the rest after reading what is herein written.  Among them, up to the present day, I have not observed any sin against nature, which is saying a great deal of so uncivilized a race; yet with regard to their treatment of women, they are so vicious and licentious that any race whatever might excel them, and this is no insignificant evil and sin.  Their custom in taking wives is the following.

Whoever is the richest and has the most gold also has the most wives, and offends most God.  There is a law among these natives which is not bad—­namely, that however many wives a man has, among them all he regards one as his legitimate wife; and if, when he dies, he has no children by this woman, the children of the others do not inherit.  In illustration of the truth of this, one may cite the death of Laya, whom I have already mentioned.  When this man died, a Christian, he had no children by his legitimate wife, and although he had many by his other wives, they did not inherit; therefore his property descended to a legitimate nephew of his.  It is true, however, that the bastard children may deprive them of their property.  I have above shown the characteristics and mode of government among these natives.  They do not care to know more than that they are Indians, like all the other Indians.  The chiefs are but slightly distinguished in dress from the slaves and freemen.  Both women and men wear anklets of gold, and bracelets upon their arms.  In regard to the wars waged between them and the Spaniards hitherto, I have already told the principal exploits of captains and soldiers among them.  I have already designated the captains who have achieved the most noted deeds in this conquest; and nothing further will be found.  If it were necessary to give proof by calling upon all who are in this land, I would be ready to do that.  As to what has taken place among the Pintados and among the Portuguese, my relation does not concern itself therewith; but I claim that the most important events which have occurred on these islands, touching the relations between the natives and the Spaniards, are those related and declared by me.  As for the Portuguese, I shall say only that the Spaniards have shown great fidelity and bravery in the service of his Majesty, although they never came to a hand-to-hand struggle with the Portuguese—­except in a few ambuscades, where they took some captives, as has been written at great length by many chroniclers who live here.  May God grant that they write the truth; for, as far as I can learn, very little credit can be given them except in the case of father Fray Diego de Herrera and Fray Martin de Herrada, who, being religious and strongly attached to the service of God and the public good, will write the whole truth;