Commodities of the Countrey.
This Countrey produces much Maiz, Wheat, Honey, and great Calabashes, from whence the first Discoverers call’d that Sea Golfo de las Ybueras, because they met with abundance of Calabashes, floating on the Water, which at Santo Domingo bear the Name of Ybueras.
This Countrey is water’d by three Rivers, the first Chamalucom, which glides by the City San Pedro; the second Ulva, inhabited on both Shores; the third Haguaro, the Grounds adjacent to which would prove very fruitful, were the Inhabitants not too lazy. In stead of a Plough they use a long Pole, with two crooked Staves at the end, one bent downwards and the other upwards, with which they cut and turn the Earth. The Natives feed on several Roots, Flesh, and Vermine.
At their Feast they make themselves Drunk with a Drink made of Honey, Noble-men heretofore onely drinking the Liquor of Cacao; of late it is common, and made by all People, though never so mean. They speak several Languages, the chiefest whereof is that of the Chontales, a salvage People. They divide their Year, call’d Joalar, that is, Passing, into eighteen Moneths, and each Moneth into twenty Days. They formerly measur’d the Year by the Nights, and began the Year forty days sooner than the Europeans.
New Valladolid.
The Towns in this Province are 1. New Vallodolid, by the Indians nam’d Comayagua, lying in a pleasant Valley under a temperate Climate. The Cattel brought hither from Spain increase exceedingly. The Silver-Mynes are also so well stor’d, that they keep the Melting-house in the Town always employ’d.
The Governor of this Place hath his Residence next to the Treasury-Chamber.
Anno 1588. the Bishop’s See was translated hither from Truxillo: Nineteen years before which Francisco de Monteio sent his Lieutenant Alphonso de Cacenes thither, to build a Village half way between the Southern and Northern Ocean; who accordingly erected the Town Santa Maria de Camoyagua, near a River Navigable for Canoos, which disembogues in Puerto de Cavallos. The remaining part of the Way to the Haven Fonseca being passable for Carrs (which was a means to prevent many Inconveniences which us’d to happen to Travellers on the Way between Panama and Nombre de Dios) the Spanish King was so much concern’d at the first proposal hereof, that he sent the famous Surveyor Baptista Antonello thither, and he rather, because he received information, that the new Way, along which they carried the Merchandise from Peru, Mexico, and other Countreys along the South Sea, lay very pleasantly, by reason of the brave Vineyards, Corn-Fields, Fruit-Trees, Pastures, Streams abounding with Fish, Herds of Deer, and Cony-Warrens; yet Antonello meeting with many troubles, would not undertake the Business.
New Valladolid is adorn’d with a great Church, a Cloyster, belonging to the Monks De la Merced, and handsom Streets.
Gratias a Dios.