In which other customs of the Indians subject to the city of Uraba are
described.
With this evil juice the Indians anoint the points of their arrows, and
they are so dexterous in the use of these arrows, and draw their bows
with such force, that it has often happened that they have transfixed a
horse, or the knight who is riding, the arrow entering on one side and
coming out on the other. They wear cotton for defensive armour, the
moisture of that country not being suitable for cuirasses. However, with
all these difficulties, and in spite of the country being so forbidding,
foot soldiers have overrun it with nothing but swords and shields, and
ten or twelve Spaniards are as good as 100 or 200 Indians. These Indians
have no temples nor any form of worship, and nothing has been discovered
concerning their religion as yet, except that they certainly talk with
the devil, and do him all the honour they can, for they hold him in
great veneration. He appears to them (as I have been told by one of
themselves) in frightful and terrible visions, which cause them much
alarm. The sons inherit their fathers’ property, if they are born of the
principal wife, and they marry the daughters of their sisters. Their
chiefs have many wives. When a chief dies, all his servants and friends
assemble in his house in the night, without any light; but they have a
great quantity of their wine made from maize, which they continue
drinking while they mourn for the dead. After they have completed their
ceremonies and sorceries, they inter the body with its arms and
treasures, plenty of food, and jugs of _chicha_, together with a few
live women. The devil gives them to understand that, in the place to
which they go, they will come to life in another kingdom which he has
prepared for them, and that it is necessary to take food with them for
the journey. As if hell was so very far off!
This city of San Sebastian was founded by Alonzo de Heredia, brother of
the Adelantado Don Pedro de Heredia, governor for his majesty of the
province of Carthagena, as I have said before.