Though the Gold, which is digg’d out of the Mines, and found in Rivers, is none of the purest, yet the Copper which this Countrey affords is accounted excellent.
Serpents.
The Serpents here are about the bigness of a Hare, having Heads like Weezles; they prey on little Beasts call’d Guabiniquinazes, and have been accounted delicious and wholsom Meat.
Antient Customs of the Natives.
The antient Natives went formerly naked. The Men made it a Custom to forsake their Wives when they pleas’d; yet the Women were still oblig’d to be faithful to them, though from the very first day of their Marriage they were taught to Cuckold them, by a certain wicked Ceremony in use amongst them; for the Bridegroom lay not with his Bride the first Night, but suffer’d her to be enjoy’d by one of his Friends of equal Quality with himself, whether he were Lord, Merchant, Laboring-man, or what Estate soever.
The Spaniard at first beaten by the Natives.
This Island was reduc’d under the Spanish Government not without great effusion of Blood; for the Natives having had continual Wars with the Cannibals, as hath been said, were not ignorant in the Exercise of Arms. The first Spanish Commander sent against them was Valdivia, whom they slew with all his Men, and hew’d his Ship in pieces. Little better escap’d Fogeda, whose Men were all cut off, and he himself escaping very miraculously, died not long after of his Wounds in St. Domingo.
St. Jago built by Valasquez.
Within two years after, viz. Anno 1514. Diego Velasquez with better success set forth for Cuba, where the first thing he did was to build a City, which he call’d St. Jago, lying near a Southern Bay, full of Fish, and defended with several small Isles, behind which the Ships in the greatest Storm may Ride very secure; by reason whereof the new City increas’d so much, that in a short time it could shew two thousand Inhabitants, a brave Church, a Cloyster, and was made a Bishop’s See, but subordinate to that of St. Domingo.