_How the Governor sent Doña Ysabel with the ships from Santiago
to Havana, while he with some of the men went thither by land._
The Governor sent Don Carlos with the ships, in company with Doña
Ysabel, to tarry for him at Havana, a port in the eastern end of the
island, one hundred and eighty leagues from Santiago. He and those
that remained, having bought horses, set out on their journey, and at
the end of twenty-five leagues came to Báyamo, the first town. They
were lodged, as they arrived, in parties of four and six, where their
food was given to them; and nothing was paid for any other thing than
maize for the beasts; because the Governor at each town assessed tax
on the tribute paid, and the labor done, by the Indians.
A deep river runs near Báyamo, larger than the Guadiana, called
Tanto. The monstrous alligators do harm in it sometimes to the
Indians and animals in the crossing. In all the country there are
no wolves, foxes, bears, lions, nor tigers: there are dogs in the
woods, which have run wild from the houses, that feed upon the swine:
there are snakes, the size of a man's thigh, and even bigger; but
they are very sluggish and do no kind of injury. From that town to
Puerto Principe there are fifty leagues. The roads throughout the
island are made by cutting out the undergrowth, which if neglected to
be gone over, though only for a single year, the shrubs spring up in
such manner that the ways disappear; and so numerous likewise are the
paths made by cattle, that no one can travel without an Indian of the
country for a guide, there being everywhere high and thick woods.
From Puerto Principe the Governor went by sea in a canoe to the
estate of Vasco Porcallo, near the coast, to get news of Doña Ysabel,
who, at the time, although not then known, was in a situation of
distress, the ships having parted company, two of them being driven
in sight of the coast of Florida, and all on board were suffering
for lack of water and subsistence. The storm over, and the vessels
come together, not knowing where they had been tossed, Cape San
Antonio was described, an uninhabited part of the island, where they
got water; and at the end of forty days from the time of leaving
Santiago, they arrived at Havana. The Governor presently received the
news and hastened to meet Doña Ysabel. The troops that went by land,
one hundred and fifty mounted men in number, not to be burdensome
upon the islanders, were divided into two squadrons, and marched to
Sancti Spiritus, sixty leagues from Puerto Principe. The victuals
they carried was the caçabe[233] bread I have spoken of, the nature
of which is such that it directly dissolves from moisture; whence
it happened that some ate meat and no bread for many days. They
took dogs with them, and a man of the country, who hunted as they
journeyed, and who killed the hogs at night found further necessary
for provision where they stopped; so that they had abundant supply,
both of beef and pork. They found immense annoyance from mosquitos,
particularly in a lake called Bog of Pia, which they had much ado in
crossing between mid-day and dark, it being more than half a league
over, full half a bow-shot of the distance swimming, and all the rest
of the way the water waist deep, having clams on the bottom that
sorely cut the feet, for not a boot nor shoe sole was left entire at
half way. The clothing and saddles were floated over in baskets of
palm-leaf. In this time the insects came in great numbers and settled
on the person where exposed, their bite raising lumps that smarted
keenly, a single blow with the hand sufficing to kill so many that
the blood would run over the arms and body. There was little rest at
night, as happened also afterwards at like seasons and places.
[233] Cassava.
They came to Sancti Spiritus, a town of thirty houses, near which
passes a little river. The grounds are very fertile and pleasant,
abundant in good oranges, citrons, and native fruit. Here one half
the people were lodged; the other half went on twenty-five leagues
farther, to a town of fifteen or twenty householders, called
Trinidad. There is a hospital for the poor, the only one in the
island. They say the town was once the largest of any; and that
before the Christians came into the country a ship sailing along the
coast had in her a very sick man, who begged to be set on shore,
which the captain directly ordered, and the vessel kept on her way.
The inhabitants, finding him where he had been left, on that shore
which had never yet been hunted up by Christians carried him home,
and took care of him until he was well. The chief of the town gave
him a daughter; and being at war with the country round about,
through the prowess and exertion of the Christian he subdued and
reduced to his control all the people of Cuba. A long time after,
when Diego Velasquez went to conquer the island, whence he made the
discovery of New Spain, this man, then among the natives, brought
them, by his management, to obedience, and put them under the rule of
that Governor.
From Trinidad they travelled a distance of eighty leagues without
a town, and arrived at Havana in the end of March. They found the
Governor there, and the rest of the people who had come with him from
Spain. He sent Juan de Añasco in a caravel, with two pinnaces and
fifty men, to explore the harbor in Florida, who brought back two
Indians taken on the coast. In consequence, as much because of the
necessity of having them for guides and interpreters, as because they
said, by signs, that there was much gold in Florida, the Governor and
all the company were greatly rejoiced, and longed for the hour of
departure--that land appearing to them to be the richest of any which
until then had been discovered.