6. Conception de la Vega, adorn’d with a Cathedral and Cloysters of Fryers, and lying twenty or thirty Leagues Northward of St. Domingo: It was built by Columbus, and from thence he had his Title of Duke de la Vega.
7. Sant Jago de los Cavalleros, a very pleasant Place, ten Leagues Northward of St. Domingo.
8. Puerto de Plata, or The Silver Haven, four Leagues distant from St. Domingo towards the North: It hath been counted the second Place of Trading and Wealth in the whole Island, being commodiously seated on an Arm of the Sea, and fortifi’d with a Castle.
9. Monte Christo, one of the Ports also above-mention’d: It lies fourteen Leagues Westward of Plata, and extends it self along the Northern Coast: it is wash’d by the River Yagui, on whose Banks are many Salt-pans.
The Island dispeopled by the cruelty of the Spaniards.
Their barbarous usage of Guaccanarillo and others.
All those Cities are much decay’d, and thinly inhabited, the Spaniards being most of them drawn by the temptation of new discover’d Gold and Silver Mines in other places, and the first Inhabitants having been miserably destroy’d. The Bishop De las Casas, an Eye-witness, relates, That the King Gauccanarillo secur’d the Goods of a stranded Ship, of which Columbus was Commander, and receiv’d the Spaniards very courteously; but not being able to continue supplying them with that quantity of Gold they requir’d, wanting Men to gather so much out of the Streams and Mines, and seeing no way to rid himself from the Spaniards Oppressions, fled to the Province of Ciguayos, the Casique of which was his Deputy; whereat the Spaniards were so enrag’d, that they burnt all that they could meet with, neither sparing young nor old; and at length taking Guaccanarillo, put him in Irons, and thought to have carried him to Madrid; but the Ship in which he went suffering Shipwrack, he with many others was cast away, being before almost dead with grief for his Consort, who had been Ravish’d by a Spanish Commander, Likewise Anacoana, Sister to the Casique, or Governor of the Province Xarana, and Partner with him in the Government, seeing three hundred of her Councellors burning in a great House, set on fire by the Spaniards, and her Subjects torn by Dogs, or cut in pieces, hung her self out of despair. The same Death died Higuanama, Queen of Huguey. Others say that Anacoana was put to death together with her Brother in a most barbarous and cruel manner, by Nicholas de Olanda, who succeeded Diego de Arana in the Government of this Island. Many Women and Children were kept alive onely to Manure the Ground. The Men dying of their hard Labour in the Gold-Mines, and those which endur’d stoutly the cruel Labour under Ground, were never suffer’d to go to their Wives; from whence proceeded a great decrease of People, the Spaniards seeming purposely to design the destruction of the Natives of Hispaniola, though they receiv’d great benefit by their Service; for Gold in former times was found between the Cracks and split Stones of the Mountains, whose Veins the Mine-workers digg’d for not without great and dangerous Labour.
First original of the People of Hispaniola.
The first Planters of Hispaniola are, according to the common opinion, deriv’d from Matinio, a high and Mountainous Isle, from whence the most eminent Inhabitants were driven by certain Rebels, as formerly the Syrians under the Government of Dido, were driven from Tyre to Lybia, and the Batavians from Hessen to the Countrey between Rhyne and Wall, at present inhabited by the Gelders and Hollanders. These Matininoensians thus expell’d from their native Countrey, setled themselves on Cahonao, near the River Bahaboni: The first House they call’d Camoteia, and afterwards turn’d it into a Temple, to which they shew’d Reverence, and made great Presents: In like manner the Tyema, which stood on a high Rock belonging to one of the Canary Islands, was by the ancient Inhabitants of the Place had in great veneration, insomuch that many leap’d down from the same, being perswaded by the Priests, That the Souls of those which threw themselves off this sacred Break-neck, should immediately be translated into a place of everlasting happiness.