RHAA 14 133

AbstrAct Thedocumentherepresentedisoneof thefirstaccountsmadebyEuropeansabouttheIndiansintheNewWorld,justafewyearsafterthearrivalof ChristopherColumbus.Theauthor,RamnPan,wasahieronymitefriarandstayedforacoupleof yearsamongtheTainoIndians,producingthefirstaccountmadebyareligiouswriteraboutthesepeople.Besidespresentingsomenoticesabouttheauthorandhiswork,weofferakeytothereadingof thedocument.

Keywords Chronicle,America,Alterity,RamnPan.

resumen El documentoquepresentamos es unode losprimeros relatoshechosporeuropeos sobre los indgenasenelNuevoMundo,pocosaosdespusde la llegadadeCristbalColn.Suautor,RamnPan,erafrailedelaordendelosJernimos,hapermanecidoalgunosaosentrelosindiosTainoehaproducidoelprimerrelatohechoporunreligiososobreesespueblos.Ademsdepresentaralgunasnoticiassobrelaobraysuautor,ofrecemosallectorunaclavedelecturaparaeldocumento.

PAlAbrAs clAves Crnica,Amrica,Alteridad,RamnPan.

La primera crnica religiosa del Caribe: la Relacin acerca de las antigedades

de los Indios (c.1496), del jernimo Ramn Pan

The first Caribbean religious chronicle: the Account of the Antiquities of the Indians (c.1496), by the hieronymite Ramn Pan

LouRdESdoMNguEz

Investigadora titular y asesora del Gabinete de Arqueologa de la Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana, Profesora titular adjunta de la Facultad de Filosofa e Historia, del Instituto Superior de Arte y del

Colegio Universitario San Gernimo de la Habana. E-mail: chinopelon36@gmail.com

ResearchsupervisorandAdvisortotheArchaeologyCabinetof theHistoriansofficeinHavana,ProfessoratthePhilosophyand HistoryFaculty,attheSuperiorInstituteof ArtandattheStJeromeCollegeatHavana.E-mail:chinopelon36@gmail.com

LuIzESTEvAMdEoLIvEIRAFERNANdES

Profesor adjunto de la Universidad Federal de Ouro Preto, Investigador titular del Ncleo de Estudios en Historia de la Historiografa y Modernidad (UFOP), Investigador colaborador del IFCH-Unicamp. E-mail: leof79@gmail.com

ProfessoratFederaluniversityof ouroPreto,Researchsupervisorof theStudygroupinHistoryof HistoriographyandModernity(uFoP),ResearchFellowatIFCH-unicamp.E-mail:leof79@gmail.com

134 RHAA 14

Lourdesdomnguez,LuizEstevamdeoliveiraFernandes

En1492llegaalastierrasquedespusseconoceranconelnombredeAmrica,elmarinogenovsCristbalColn;esteprimerviajemarceldestinodedospueblos,unabuenapartedelmundoconocidoenEuropahastaesemomentoyaotro,elnoconocidoanydelcualnosetenanoticiaaparentemente.

SienelprimerviajequeefectuColnhabaescasamentetres embarcaciones y un pequeo nmero de marineros,en el segundo, hubo un 90%ms de barcos y qu decir delacantidaddehombresque llegaron.EIAlmirante,comoyaerallamado,tenaideasmuyconcretasparaelemplazamientoenestastierrasdeunaasentamientoespaolyparalograreseobjetivonecesitaba conocermuybien el grupohumanoquevivaenellas;porestemotivorealizaunaseriedeactividadesparalograrconocerlos,entrelascualesfuelamsimportante,laobservacindesumododevida,pordiferentesvas.

EIllamadodescubridoryasehabapercatadodealgunasdesusregularidades,peronecesitabasabercmopensabanesoshombresyculeseransusintereses,portalraznenlasegundaviaje, leencomiendaaun jovenclrigo,desuconfianza,quepartadesdelaIsabelaaotrocacicazgocercanoypermanezcaseguidamenteduranteun largo tiempoenesaaldeaparaquele confeccione una relacin de cmo vivan, cules eran susformasdevidaysobretododesuspensamientosysureligin.

deestamaneraelreligiosodelaordendelosJernimosllamadoFrayRamnPanpartehaciaelpueblodeuncaciquellamado guarionex siguiendo la orden de Coln, teniendoalgunas alteraciones en el derrotero cambiando despus alcacicazgodeMabiatuendondesemantuvohasta1496.

durantetodasestasmudanzasPanintercambiconlosmoradoresdeaquellaszonasdelaIslaysobretodoconvivicon ellos, de ambos grupos tom sus ideas y conform surelacinenaquelmismoaoodosaosdespus.

EI documento llamado Relacin acerca de lasantigedadesdelosIndiospresentaunaclaridaddeexpresinenloqueconciernealavidacotidianadeestosgruposhumanos,loquehapermitido,apartirdelunestudioetnohistricoyunaayudainmensaalaarqueologa.Porserunainformacinde primera mano insustituible, y de gran valor, es que estedocumentorepresenta,comodiraelProfesorJosJuanArrom,enlaprimerpaginadelaintroduccinquehicesobrePan,quemarcaunhitoenlahistoriaculturaldeAmrica,ademsdeconstituirlapiedraangulardelosestudiosetnolgicosenestehemisferio.

In 1492, the genoese sailor ChristopherColumbus arrived in the lands that would beknownasAmerica; thisfirstvoyagemarkedthefateof twopopulations:agreatdealof Europeanknownworlduntilthatmomentandanother,onestillunknownof which,apparently,noonehadeverheardof before.

If inColumbusfirstvoyagetherewerescarcelythreevesselsandasmallnumberof sailors, thesecondone had about 90%more ships and anenhanced number of man that came along.TheAdmiral,ashewasalreadycalled,hadsolidconcreteideasfortheestablishmentof aSpanishsettlement and, tomake sure his projectwouldturnoutright,heneededtowellacknowledgethehumangroupsthatlivedinthearea;thatiswhyherealizedaseriesof activitiesthatwereintendedtomakecontactandget toknowthem,amongallthemostsignificantonewastoobserve,inavarietyof manners,theirwayof living.

The so-called discoverer had already takennoticeof someof theirpeculiarities,buthestillneeded to understand how those men thoughtand what their interests were. Therefore, hecommissioned a young cleric of his trust todepart from Isabela, go to a near cacicazgo, staythereforalongtime,andwriteanaccountabouthow they lived, which were there habits, andmoreover,theirthoughtandbeliefs.

Thus, following Columbus orders, thehieronymitefriarRamnPanwenttotheIndiansettlement of the cacique named guarionex.Havingtochangehisitinerary,helatterstayedintheMabiatucacicazgo,whereheliveduntil1496.

In the meantime, Pan interacted with thepeoplewhoinhabitedinthoseareasof theisland,livingamongthem,collectingtheirideas.Hemayhavewrittenhisaccountinthesameyearheleftthisexperienceoreventwoyearsafter.

The document called An account of theAntiquitiesof theIndiansrevealsacrystalclearexpressioninwhatconcernstheordinarylifeof thosehumangroups,allowingustorealizesomeethno-historicstudiesandofferingagreatdealof helptoArchaeology.Beingof suchsignificance,thisaccount,asProfessorJosJuanArromsaidinthefirstpageof hisintroductiontoPanswork,establishesadivisionmarkinAmericanCulturalHistoryandconstitutestheanglestoneof theethnologicstudiesinthishemisphere.

Theoriginaltextislost.Littleisknownaboutthe friars life, though it is likely that he was

RHAA 14 135

LaprimeracrnicareligiosadelCaribe

Eloriginaldesutextoestperdido.Tampocoseconocemuchode la vida del fraile, pero esmuyprobable quePanfuesecataln,puesLasCasas,enla Apologtica,cap.CXX,dicedeFr.Ramnqueerauncatalnquehabatomadohbitodeermitao [...],hombre simple ydebuena intuicinque sabaalgodelalenguadelosindios.Elmismodominico,enelcap.CLXvII,dicedeFrayRamnquelvinoaella[aEspaola]cincoaosantesqueyo.

otros cronistas se aprovecharan de este opsculo dePan:PedroMrtirdeAnglera en suDcada I, lib. IX, caps.IvavII,yLasCasasensuApologtica,Caps.CXX,CLXvIyCLXvII,porejemplo.En los tiemposmscontemporneos,hubealgunasedicionesencastellanodeestaRelacin,delascualesreproduciremoslaqueconsideramoslamejor.

A35aosdelaedicinrealizadaporelProfesorArrom,conunanueva traduccinacotada y refinadadeldocumentoenitalianoyauspiciadaporlaEditorialSigloXXIdeMxico,y a ms de 50 aos de hecha, encontramos la razn parareproducirlaenestaspginas.Loconsideramosunaayudaalahistoriografaamericana,yunarevitalizacindeestaliteratura,ascomounaimprescindiblecolaboracinalaArqueologadelosTainos.Solohemosreproducidoeldocumento traducidosin las acotaciones de Arrom porque entendemos que esteaspectoesdesuautorayeselresultadodeunainvestigacintanprofundaqueensiesotrolibro,poresosolonosremitimosalaobraprincipal.Latraduccinalinglsfuemuygentilmentecedida por el Profesor Peter Bakewell, a quien somos muyagradecidos.

Quetrataeldocumentoyculessuimportancia,esbreveloquepodramosdecir,soloendecirqueeslaprimeracrnicaescritaenAmricaHispanasobreloshombresencontradosenesteprimerencuentroque se llamadescubrimiento, ledaunvalorinestimable.ofrecemos,todava,unaclavedelecturadeloriginaldePancomosugerenciainterpretativa.

Sutextosigueunalneadetradicindelacrnicamedievalreligiosa,enlacualeltiempo,medidoentrminosexactos,noes importante. Luego, la narracin de Pan sigue una lneaargumentativabblica,comenzandoconlacreacindelmundo,despuslacreacindeloshombresymujeres(deacuerdoconsuvisinacercade los relatos indgenas)hasta la relacindelosnativosconelsobrenaturalycon lamuerte.Elproblemade la creacin delmundo lo pone en el texto despus de ladelhombre,queabrelanarracin.Perolojustifica:creoquepongoprimeroloquedebieraserltimoyloltimoprimeroo

CatalanbecauseLasCasas,inApologtica,chapterCXX,asseveratesthatPanwasaCatalanwho

hadtakenthehermitorders[],hewasasimple

man,of goodintuitionwhoknewsomethingof

theIndians idiom.Thedominicanalsostated,

inchapterCLXvII,thatFriarRamoncame[to

Espaola]fiveyearsbeforeme.

otherchroniclersusedPansopuscule:Pedro

Mrtir de Anglera in his Dcada I, book IX,chapters Iv to vII, and Las Casas,Apologtica, chaptersCXX,CLXvIandCLXvII,forinstance.

Inmore recent times, therewere someSpanish

editionsof theAccount,fromwhichof them

wereproducetheonewethinktobethebest.

Thirty-five years after the edition made

by Professor Arrom, with a new and refined

translationof thedocumentinItalian,underthe

auspicesof theMexicanEditorialSigloXXI,and

aftermorethan50yearssinceithasbeenmade,

wefoundthisopportunitytoreproducethetext

in these pages. We think this will considerably

help theAmericanhistoriography,andalsogive

a new life to the text, as well as enormously

contribute to the Taino Archaeology. We have

only reproduced the document, not Arrom

footnotesbecauseweunderstandthatistheresult

of such a profound research that it constitutes

anotherbook.Therefore,wehaveattainedtothe

Accountitself.TheEnglishtranslationiskindly

offeredbyProfessorPeterBakewell,towhomwe

wouldliketothank.

About the documents significance and

mattercontained it is little tobe said,only that

this is the first chronicle written in Spanish

America regarding themen found in thesefirst

encountersthatareknownasdiscovery.Weoffer,

nonetheless,areadingkeytoPansoriginalasan

interpretativesuggestion.

His text follows a traditional line of the

medieval religious chronicle in which the exact

measure of time has no great important. So,

Pans account draws a biblical argumentation

line,beginningwiththeworldscreation,passing

throughthemenandwomencreation(according

to Indians reports), to the native relationwith

thesupernaturalandwithdeath.Theissueof the

creationof theworldiswrittenaftertheFallof

mennarratedrightatthebeginningof thetext.

Buthejustifies:IfearthatIamtellinglastthings

firstandfirstlast;butIputitdownjustasIhad

itfromthenativesof thecountry.

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Lourdesdomnguez,LuizEstevamdeoliveiraFernandes

volvamosahoraaloquedebamoshaberpuestoprimero,estoes,alaopininquetienensobreelorigenyprincipiodelmar.

Lagrannovedadde larelacindePanes lapresenciade la alteridad americana.No se saba al cierto si se tratabadeunNuevoMundo(comodespuslellamaranloseuropeosaAmrica)odeunantiguo,aunqueigualmentedesconocido.deestaforma,nosquedalapregunta:CmoPanretratlanueva realidad cercade l teniendo comobase las ideasquetraadelaviejaEuropa?

Eslcitosuponerqueelreligiosopreguntabaloquebienentendaalosindioseinterpretabalascontestacionesconformesuformacinreligiosaeintelectual.ElJernimodice:todoloqueescriboaslonarranellos,comoloescribo,yaslopongocomoloheentendidodelosdelrestodelpas.Poreso,Panexpone cuestiones crucialespara el pensamiento catlicodelfin del siglo 15: la creacin, la universalidad delmensaje dedios,lanaturalezaaristotlicadeloshombres,entreotros.

La formaconquehacecreble su textoesconsonantea los dems cronistas de su generacin.Lo que el autor fuetestigoesdignodefe.Ensegundolugar,loqueelautorhaododefuenteconsideradaconfiable.Esposibleleer,cuandonarralascreenciasindgenas:Porqueyolohevistoenparteconmisojos,bienquedelasotrascosascontsolamenteloquehabaodo amuchos, en especial a losprincipales, conquieneshetratadomsqueconotros.

Todoloquesacadenovedosolocomparaasumundode referencias: una guayaba tiene sabor de membrillo parael religiosoas comoelcazabeeselpanquesecomeenelpas.Lareliginindgena,pornoencontrarmuchodesimilaral cristianismo, lo tacha de hechicera, cosa del diablo odemonio.Lomsdelosasuntosespirituales,loexpone,comoafirmamos,enunalgicabblica,capazdeencontrarmrtiresentre los indgenas conversosmuertosporotros aun infielesomilagros,comoenelepisodiodelaparecimientodelacruz.

Adems,PaninauguralugarescomunesenlatradicindelacrnicadelNuevoMundo,cmolapresenciadeauguriosindgenas previendo la Conquista, la persistencia de lascostumbresindiasdespusdelacatequesis,laposibleydeseableseparacindelosnefitosnativosdelosdemscolonos(paraevitarqueseconfundiesenacercadelverdaderocristianismo)yeldebatesobreelusodelaviolenciaenelesfuerzocatequtico.

Conforme lo hemos expuesto, se ha cuidado dereproducirlatraduccindelProf.Arromentodasuplenitudysehamantenidolasintaxisylaortografaporlaplanteadaen

Thegreatestnovelty aboutPans account isthe presence of the American alterity. No onewasreallysure if thatwasaNewWorld(astheEuropeans lattercalledAmerica)oranoldone,though entirely unknown. Thus, there is left aquestion:howdidPanpicturedthenewrealityaround him having only the tools he broughtfromtheoldEuropewithhim?

Itisallowedtowonderif thereligiousaskedwhateverhewantedtotheIndiansandtranslatedthe answers organizing them in his intellectualand religious framework, though the anchoritesaid: I put it down just as I had it from thenatives of the country. That is why Panexposescrucialsubjectstothecatholicthinkingof the 15thcentury:thecreation,theuniversalityof godsmessage,theAristoteliannatureof menetc.

Thewayinwhichhejustifiesandturnsitintoacredibletextisconsonanttootherschroniclersof his generation. What the author testified isworthyof faith.Insecondplace,whattheauthorheardisatrustablesource.ThisispossibletobeapprehendedwhenhewritesabouttheIndiansbeliefs: Thesedeceptions Ihave seenwithmyowneyes,whereastheotherthingsItoldaboutIheardof onlyfromothers,especiallyfromtheirprincipalmen--because thesemenbelieve thesefablesmorefirmlythantheothers.

Everythingnewhe compareswithhisworldof reverences: one guava tastes like quince tothereligious,asthecassava,whichisthebreadof that country.The Indian religion, as it didnot well matched with Christianity, is calledsorceries, devils or demons thing. otherspiritual matters are exposed, as we have saidbefore,inabiblicallogic,onethatisabletofindmartyrsamongtheconvertedIndianswhowerekilledbyothersstillinfidel,ormiracles,asintheepisodeof theappearanceof theCross.

Pan also inaugurates commonplaces in thetraditionof theNewWorldschronicle,suchasthepresenceof IndianspresagesforetellingtheConquest,thepersistenceof Indianshabitsaftertheywerealreadybeenchristened,apossibleanddesirableseparationbetweentheneophytesandtheothercolonists(inordertoavoidaconfusionabouttherealChristianity)andthedebateabouttheuseof violenceinthecatechesiseffort.

As we have assured, we have taken care of reproducing theProfessorArrom translation inits fullness, keeping the original 1974 editions

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laedicinde1974,siempreconsuconsentimiento.LomismosepasaconlatraduccinparaelinglshechaporelProfesorBakewell.

***

RELACINdEFRAyRAMNPANACERCAdELASANTIgEdAdESdELoSINdIoS,LASCuALES,

CoNdILIgENCIA,CoMoHoMBREQuESABELALENguAdEELLoS,LASHARECogIdoPoR

MANdATodELALMIRANTE

yo, fray Ramn, pobre ermitao de la orden de SanJernimo, por mandato del ilustre seor Almirante y virreyy gobernadorde las Islas yde laTierraFirmede las Indias,escribo loquehepodidoaprenderysaberde lascreenciaseidolatrasdelosindios,ydecomoveneranasusdioses.delocualahoratratarenlapresenterelacin.

Cadauno,aladorarlosdolosquetienenencasa,llamadospor ellos cemes, observaunparticularmodoy supersticin.Creen que est en el cielo y es inmortal, y que nadie puedeverlo,yquetienemadre,masnotieneprincipio,yaestellamanycahuBaguaMarocoti,yasumadrellamanAtabey,yermao,guacar,Apitoyzuimaco,quesoncinconombres.EstosdelosqueescribosondelaislaEspaola,porquedelasotrasislasnosecosaalgunapornohaberlasvistojams.Sabenasimismodequepartevinieron,ydedondetuvieronorigenelsolylaluna,ycomosehizoelmarydondevanlosmuertos.ycreenquelosmuertosselesaparecenporloscaminoscuandoalgunovasolo,porque,cuandovanmuchosjuntos,noselesaparecen.Todoestoleshanhechocreersusantepasados,porqueellosnosabenleer,nicontarsinohastadiez.

Capitulo I: De que Parte Han Venido los Indios y en Modo

La Espaola tiene una provincia llamada Caonao, enla que est unamontaa, que se llamaCauta, que tiene doscuevas nombradas Cacibajagua una y Amayana la otra.deCacibajaguasalilamayorpartedelagentequepobllaisla.Estagente,estandoenaquellascuevas,haciaguardiadenoche,y se haba encomendado este cuidado a uno que se llamabaMcocael, el cual,porqueunda tardenvolvera lapuerta,dicen que se lo llev el Sol.visto, pues, que el Sol se haba

syntaxes and orthography, always with hisapproval. The same is made with ProfessorsBakewellEnglishtranslation.

***

THERELACINoFFRAyRAMNPANE

I,FrayRamn,apooranchoriteof theorderof St. Jerome,write by order of the illustriousLord Admiral, viceroy, and governor of theislandsandmainlandof theIndieswhatIhavebeen able to learn concerning the beliefs andidolatryof theIndians,andthemannerinwhichtheyworshiptheirgods.of thesemattersIshallgiveanaccountinthepresenttreatise.Eachoneadorestheidolsorcemiesthathehasinhishouseinsomespecialwayandwithsomespecialrites.They believe that there is an immortal beingin the skywhom none can see andwho has amotherbutnobeginning.Theycallhimyocahuvagua Maorocoti, and his mother Atabex,yermaoguacar, Apito, and zuimaco, which arefivedifferentnames.Iwriteonlyof theIndiansof the island of Espaola, for I knownothingabouttheotherislandsandhaveneverseenthem.TheseIndiansalsoknowwhencetheycameandwherethesunandmoonhadtheirbeginning,andhowtheseawasmade,andof theplacetowhichthedeadgo.Theybelieve that thedeadpeopleappearontheroadstoonewhowalksalone,butwhenmanygotogether,thedeaddonotappear.All this theywere taughtby their forebears, fortheycannotreadorcountaboveten.

I. Of the Place from Which the Indians Came, and How They Came

In Espaola there is a province calledCaonao, in which is found a mountain calledCanta, having two caves named Cacibayaguaand Amayauba. From Cacibayagua came themajorityof thepeoplewhosettled the island.When they lived in that cave, they posted aguard at night, and they intrusted that chargeto a man namedMarocael; they say that onedaythesuncarriedhimoff becausehewaslateincomingtothedoor.Seeingthatthesunhadcarriedawaythismanforneglectinghisduties,they closed the door to him, and so he waschanged intoastonenear thatdoor.Theysay

138 RHAA 14

Lourdesdomnguez,LuizEstevamdeoliveiraFernandes

llevadoasteporsumalaguardia, lecerraronlapuertayasfuetransformadoenpiedracercadelapuerta.despusdicenqueotros,habiendoidoapescar,fueronpresosporelSol,yseconvirtieronenrbolesqueellosllamanjobos,ydeotromodosellamanmiroblanos.ElmotivoporelcualMcocaelvelabayhacialaguardiaeraparaveraquepartemandaraorepartiralagente,yparecequesetardparasumayormal.

Capitulo II: Como se Separaron los Hombres de las Mujeres

Sucediqueuno,quetenapornombreguahayona,dijoaotroquesellamabayahubaba,quefueseacogerunahierballamada digo, con la que se limpian el cuerpo cuando van alavarse.Estesaliantesdeamanecer,y lecogielSolporelcamino,yseconvirtienpjaroquecantaporlamaana,comoelruiseor,yse llamayahubabayael.guahayona,viendoquenovolvaelquehabaaenviadoacogerdigo,resolvisalirdeladichacuevaCacibajagua.

Capitulo III: Que Guahayona, Indignado, Resolvi Marcharse, Viendo que no Volvan Aquellos que Haba Mandado a Coger el Dilo para Lavarse

ydijoalasmujeresdejadavuestrosmaridos,yvmonosaotrastierrasyllevemosmuchogeyo.dejadavuestroshijosy llevemos solamente la hierba con nosotros, que despusvolveremosporellos.

Capitulo IV

guahayona parti con todas las mujeres, y se fue enbusca de otros pases, y llego a Matinin, donde enseguidadej a lasmujeres, y se fue aotra region, llamadaguann, yhabandejadoalosniospequeosjuntoaunarroyo.despus,cuandoelhambrecomenzamolestarles,dicenquellorabanyllamabanasusmadresquesehabanidoylospadresnopodandarremedioaloshijos,quellamabanconhambrealasmadres,diciendomamaparahablar,peroverdaderamenteparapedirlateta.yllorandoas,ypidiendoteta,diciendotoa,toacomoquienpideuna cosa congrandeseo ymuydespacio, fuerontransformadosenpequeosanimales,amaneraderanas,que

thatotherswhohadgonefishingwerecaught

bythesunandchangedintothetreescalljobos

ormyrobalans.ThereasonwhyMarocaelkept

guardwas to see in what direction he should

sendordistribute thepeople; andhis lateness

washisundoing.

II. How the Women Were Separated from the Men

Itoncehappenedthatguaguyonatoldanother

man named yadruvava to go to pick the herb

called digo with which they clean their bodies

whentheybathe.Hewentoutbeforedawn,and

the sun caught him on the road and changed

him into a bird which sings in the morning,

like the nightingale; it is called yahuba Bayael.

guaguyona,seeingthat themanhehadsent to

lookfordigodidnotreturn,decidedtocomeout

of thecaveCacibayagua.

III.

Thenguaguyona,angrybecausethemenhe

hadsenttopickdigoforhisbathdidnotreturn,

decidedtogoawayandsaidtothewomen,Leave

yourhusbands,andweshallgotootherlandsand

takemuchdigowithus.Leaveyourchildren,for

weshalltakeonlytheherbwithus;laterweshall

returnforthechildren.

IV.

guaguyonaleftwithallthewomen,andwent

insearchof otherlands,andcametoMatinin,

wherehesoonleftthewomenanddepartedfor

another region calledguann. Thewomen had

lefttheirlittlechildrenbyabrook,andwhenthe

latterbegantogrowhungry,theyweptandcalled

ontheirmotherswhohadgoneaway.Thefathers

couldnothelptheirchildren,andintheirhunger

thechildrencalledoutmama;theywerereally

asking for the breast. So, weeping and asking

forthebreast,andsayingtoo,toolikeonewho

insistentlyasksforsomething,theywerechanged

intolittleanimalslikefrogs,calledtona,because

they had asked for the breast. That is how the

menwereleftwithoutwomen.

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sellamantona,porlapeticinquehacandelateta,ydeestamaneraquedarontodosloshombressinmujeres.

Capitulo V: Que Despus Hubo Mujeres Otra Vez en la Dicha Isla Espaola, que Antes se Llamaba Hait, y As la Llaman los Habitantes de Ella; y Aquella y las Otras Islas las Llamaban Boho

y puesto que ellos no tienen escritura ni letras, nopueden dar buena cuenta de cmo han odo esto de susantepasados,yporesonoconcuerdanenloquedicen,nianse puede escribir ordenadamente lo que refieren.Cuando semarchguahayona,elquesellevotodaslasmujeres,asimismosellevolasmujeresdesucacique,quesellamabaAnacacuya,engandolocomoengaa losotros.yademsuncuadodeguahayona,Anacacuya,queseibaconel,entrenelmar;y dijo dicho guahayona a su cuado, estando en la canoa:Miraquehermososcobohayenelagua,elcualcoboeselcaracoldemar.ycuandostemirabaalaguaparaverelcobo,sucuadoguahayonalotomoporlospiesylotiralmar;yastomtodaslasmujeresparas,ylasdejenMatinin,dondesedicequehoydanohaymsquemujeres.yelsefueaotraisla,quesellamaguann,ysellamasporloquesellevdeella,cuandofueaall.

Capitulo VI: Que Guahayona Volvi a la Dicha Cauta, de donde Haba Sacado las Mujeres

dicenqueestandoguahayonaenlatierraadondehabaido,viquehabadejadoenelmarunamujer,delocualtuvogranplacer,yalinstantebuscmuchoslavatoriosparalavarse,porestar llenodeaquellas llagasquenosotros llamamosmalfrancs.Ellalepusoentoncesenunaguanara,quequieredecirlugarapartado,yas,estandoall,sandesusllagas.despuslepidilicenciaparaseguirsucaminoyelseladi.Llambaseesta mujer guabonito. y guahayona se cambi el nombre,llamndosedeahenadelanteAlbeboraelguahayona.ylamujerguabonitolediaAlbeboraelguahayonamuchosguaninesymuchascibas,paraquelasllevaseatadasalosbrazos,puesenaquellastierrasaquellascibassondepiedrasqueseasemejanmuchoalmrmol,ylasllevanatadasalosbrazosyalcuellos,ylosguanineslosllevanenlasorejas,hacindoseagujeroscuandosonpequeos,ysondemetalcasicomodeflorn.Elorigende estos guanines dicen que fueron guabonito, Albeborael

V. How the Women Returned from the Island of Espaola, Which Was Formerly Called Haiti, that Being the Name of Its Inhabitants; and this and the Other Islands Are Called Bouh

AstheseIndianshavenoalphabetorwriting,they cannot give a coherent account of thesematters,buttheyhavethemfromtheirforebears.Therefore theiraccountsdonotagree,nor is itpossibletowritedowninanorderlyfashionwhattheysay.Whenguaguyona(hewhocarriedoff allthewomen)wentaway,healsotookwithhimthe wives of his cacique Anacacuya, deceivingthesewomenashehaddone theothers.Therealso went a brother-in-law of guaguyonas,namedAnacacuya,whoenteredtheseawithhim;and when they were in the canoe, guaguyonasaidtohisbrother-in-law,Seethebeautifulcobointhewater.Thiscoboistheperiwinkle.WhenAnacacuyalookedintothewater,hisbrother-in-lawguaguyonagrabbedhisfeetandthrewhiminthewater;thusguaguyonahadallthewomentohimself andleftthoseof Matinin;itissaidthattodaythereareonlywomenonthatisland.Andhe departed for another island, called guaninbecauseof whathetookawayfromthere.

VI. How Guaguyona Returned to the Island of Canta, Whence He Had Brought the Women

They say that when guaguyona was in thelandtowhichhehadgone,hesawthathehadleftawomaninthesea.Hehadgreatpleasurewithher,butsoonhadtolookformanybath-housesinwhichtowashhimself becausehewasfullof thosesoresthatwecalltheFrenchSickness.Sheplaced him in a guanara, which means a placeapart;therehewascuredof hissores.Afterwardsshe asked permission to continue on her way,which he granted. This woman was namedguabonito.Andguaguyonachangedhisname,henceforthcallinghimself Biberociguahayona.And guabonito gave to Biberoci guahayonamanyguanines andmany cibas towear tiedontheir arms; these cibas are stones which muchresemblemarbleandwhichtheywearabouttheirnecksandarms;theyweartheguaninesintheirears,which theyperforatewhen they are small;these guanines are made of a metal like thatof whichflorins aremade.They say that theseguanines began with guabonito, Albeborael,guahayona, and the father of Alberborael.guahayonastayedinthatcountrywithhisfather,

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guahayonayelpadredeAlbeborael.guahayonasequedenlatierraconsupadre,quesellamabaHiauna.SuhijoporpartedepadresellamabaHiagualiguann,quequieredecirhijodeHiauna,ydesdeentoncessellamoguann,yassellamahoyda.ycomonotienenletrasniescrituras,nosabencontarbientalesfbulas,niyopuedoescribirlasbien.Porlocualcreoquepongoprimeroloquedebieraserltimoyloltimoprimero.Perotodoloqueescriboaslonarranellos,comoloescribo,yaslopongocomoloheentendidodelosdelpas.

Capitulo VII: Como Hubo De Nuevo Mujeres En La Dicha Isla De Hait, Que Ahora Se Llama La Espaola

dicenqueundafueronalavarseloshombres,yestandoenelagua,llovamucho,yqueestabanmuydeseososdetenermujeres;yquemuchasveces,cuandollova,habanidoabuscarlashuellasdesusmujeres;msnopudieronencontraralgunanuevadeellas.Peroaquelda,lavndose,dicenquevieroncaerdealgunosrboles,bajndoseporentre las ramas,unaciertaformadepersonas,quenoeranhombresnimujeres,nitenansexodevarnnidehembra,lascualesfueronacogerlas;perohuyeroncomosifuerananguilas.Porlocualllamaronadosotreshombrespormandatodesucacique,puestoqueellosnopodancogerlas,paraqueviesencuantaseran,ybuscasenparacadaunaunhombrequefueracaracaracol,porquetenanlasmanossperasyqueasestrechamente lassujetasen.dijeronalcaciquequeerancuatro;yasllevaroncuatrohombres,queeran caracaracoles. El cual caracaracol es una enfermedadcomosarna,quehacealcuerpomuyspero.despusquelashubieroncogido, tuvieronconsejo sobre comopodanhacerquefuesenmujeres,puestoquenotenansexodevarnnidehembra.

Capitulo VIII: Como Hallaron Remedio para que Fuesen Mujeres

Buscaron un pjaro que se llama inriri, antiguamentellamado inriri cahubabayael,elcualagujerea losrboles,yennuestralenguallmasepico.Eigualmentetomaronaaquellasmujeressinsexodevarnnidehembra,ylesataronlospiesylasmanos,ytrajeronelpjaromencionado,yseloataronalcuerpo.yeste,creyendoqueeranmaderos,comenzlaobraque acostumbra, picando y agujereando en el lugar dondeordinariamentesueleestarelsexodelasmujeres.ydeesemodo

namedyauna.HissontookfromhisfatherthenameHaguailiguann,whichmeans the sonof yauna;laterhecalledhimself guanin,andiscalledthattoday.AstheIndianshavenoalphabetorwriting,theydonottelltheirmythswell,norcanIwritethemdownaccurately,andIfearthatI am telling last thingsfirst andfirst last; but Iput itdownjustasIhad itfromthenativesof thecountry.

VII. How the Women Returned from the Island of Haiti, Which is Now Called Espaola

Theysaythatonedaythemenwenttowashthemselves;andwhile theywere in thewater, itrainedhard,andtheyfeltgreatdesireforwomen;frequentlywhen it rained they sought tracesof theirwives, but couldnotfind them.However,that day, as theywerewashing themselves theysaw falling from the trees, sliding down thebranches,somecreaturesthatwereneithermennor women, and had neither male nor femalegenitals.Theytriedtocatchthem,buttheyslippedawaylikeeels.Sobyordersof theircaciquetheysummoned two or three men who should seehow many of these creatures there were, andwhoshouldbringasmanymenof thekindcalledcaracaracol,becausetheyhadroughhands,whowouldbeabletocatchthemandtiethemdown.They told the cacique therewere fourof thesecreatures; so they brought fourmenwhowerecaracaracoles.This caracaracol is a sickness likethescabthatmakesthebodyveryrough.Whentheyhadcaughtthem,theyconsideredhowtheycouldmakewomenoutof them,sincetheyhadneithermalenorfemalegenitals.

VIII. How They Devised a Way of Making Women of Them

They found a bird now called inrim, andin ancient times inrire cahuvayal, that is, awoodpecker, which bores holes in trees. Then,seizing those women without male or femalegenitals, they bound their hands and feet, andtied that bird to the body of each. The bird,thinking theywere trees, beganhis accustomedwork,peckingandhollowingouttheplacewherewomens genitals are wont to be. The Indianssay that is the manner in which they acquiredwomen,astoldbytheiroldestmen.AsIwroteinhasteandhadnotenoughpaper,Icouldnotputeverythingwhereitbelonged,yetIhavemadeno

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dicenlosindiosquetuvieronmujeres,segncuentanlosmsviejos.Puestoqueescribdeprisa,ynotenapapelbastante,nopudeponerensulugarloqueporerrortrasladaotro;perocon todoyeso,noheerrado,porqueellos locreen todo talcomocomoloheescrito.volvamosahoraaloquedebamoshaberpuestoprimero,estoes,alaopininquetienensobreelorigenyprincipiodelmar.

Capitulo IX: Cmo Dicen que Fue Hecho el Mar

Hubo un hombre llamado yaya, del que no saben elnombre,ysuhijose llamabayayael,quequieredecirhijodeyaya.Elcualyayael,queriendomatarasupadre,stelodesterr,y as estuvo desterrado cuatromeses; y despus su padre lomat,ypusoloshuesosenunacalabaza,ylacolgdeltechodesucasa,dondeestuvocolgadaalgntiempo.Sucediqueunda,condeseodeverasuhijo,yayadijoasumujer:Quieroveranuestrohijoyayael.yellasealegr,ybajandolacalabaza,lavolcparaverloshuesosdesuhijo,delacualsalieronmuchospecesgrandesychicos.dedonde,viendoqueaquelloshuesossehabantransformadoenpeces,resolvieroncomerlos.

dicen,pues,queunda,habiendoidoyayaasusconucos,quequieredecirposesiones,queerandesuherencia,llegaroncuatro hijos de una mujer, que se llamaba Itiba Cahubaba,todosdeunvientreygemelos;lacualmujer,habiendomuertodeparto,laabrieronysacaronfueraloscuatrodichoshijos,yelprimeroquesacaroneracaracaracol,quequieredecirsarnoso,elcualcaracaracoltuvopornombre(deminn); losotrosnotenannombre.

Capitulo X: Como los Cuatro Hijos Gemelos de Itiba Cahubaba, que Muri de Parto, Fueron Juntos a Coger La Calabaza de Yaya, Donde Estaba su Hijo Yayael, que se Haba Transformado en Peces, y Ninguno se Atrevi a Cogerla, Excepto Deminn Caracaracol, que la Descolg, y Todos se Hartaron de Peces

y mientras coman, sintieron que vena yaya de susposesiones,yqueriendoenaquelapurocolgarlacalabaza,nolacolgaronbien,demodoquecayentierrayserompi.dicenquefuetantaelaguaquesalideaquellacalabaza,que llenotodalatierra,yconellasalieronmuchospeces;ydeaqudicenquehayatenidoorigenelmar.Partierondespusestosdeall,yencontraronunhombre,llamadoConel,elcualeramudo.

mistake,fortheybelieveeverythingthatiswrittenhere.TurningnowtowhatIshouldhaverelatedfirst,Ishalltelltheirbeliefsconcerningtheoriginof thesea.

IX. How the Sea Was Made

There was a man called yaya, whose namethey do not know; his son was called yayael,whichmeans sonof yaya.Thisyayaelwishingto kill his father, the latter banished him, andhewasbanishedforfourmonths;after thathisfatherkilledhimandputhisbonesinacalabashwhichhehungfromtheceilingof hishut,whereithung for some time.oneday,wishing to seehisson,yayasaidtohiswife,Iwanttoseeourson yayael. She was content and, taking thecalabash,turneditovertoseethebonesof theirson.outof it camemany large and smallfish.Perceivingthattheboneshadbeenchangedintofish, they decided to eat them.one day, whenyayahadgonetohismaizefields,thatwerehisinheritance, there came four sons of a womannamedItibaTahuvava,allbornatasinglebirth;forthiswomanhavingdiedinchildbirth,theycutheropenandtookoutthesefoursons.Andthefirst one they took out was caracaracol, whichmeansscabby,andhisnamewas...;theothershadnoname.

X.

Thefourtwinsonsof ItibaTahuvava,whodiedinchildbirth,wenttogethertogetthecalabashinwhichyayakeptthebonesof hissonyayaelwhohadbeenchangedintoafish;butnoneof themdaredtogetitexceptdimivanCaracaracol,whotook itdown;and theyallhad theirfillof fish.Whiletheywereeating,theyheardyayacomingback fromhisfields; and in theirhaste tohangthecalabashupagaintheydidnotdoitright,sothatitfelltoearthandbroke.Theysaysomuchwatercameoutof thecalabashthatitfilledthewhole earth, andwith it camemanyfish.Theysay thiswashow the seabegan.After theyhadleftthisplacetheymetamannamedConel,whowasdumb.

XI. What Happened to the Four Brothers When They Were Fleeing from Yaya

The brothers, coming to the door of Basamanacos house, noticed that he hadcassava, and said, Ayacavo guarocoel, which

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means Let us make the acquaintance of ourgrandfather.ThendemivanCaracaracol,goingaheadof hisbrothers,enteredthehouse toseeif hecouldfindsomecassava,whichisthebreadof thatcountry.Caracaracol,enteringthehouseof Ayamanaco,askedhimforsomecassava.AtthisAyamanacoput his hand tohis nose, tookout a guanguayo, and threw it at Caracaracolsshoulder; this guanguayo was full of cohobawhichhehadhadmadethatdayandisapowderthattheysometimestakeaspurgeandforotherpurposeswhichwillbetoldhereafter.Theytakeitbymeansof thecanehalf anelllong,puttingoneendof thiscaneinthenoseandtheotherinthepowder;theysnuff thispowderintothenose,anditpurgesthemgreatly.Sohegavethemthatguanguayo instead of bread, and hewent awayvery angry because they had asked him for it.CaracaracolthenreturnedtohisbrothersandtoldthemwhathadhappenedwithBayamanicoel,of theblowthathehadgivenhimontheshoulderwiththeguanguayo,andthat ithurthimsorely.Hisbrotherslookedathisshoulderandsawthatitwasmuch swollen, and that swellinggrew sothat he was about to die. They tried to cut it,withoutsuccess,buttakingastonehatchet,theymanagedtoopenit,andoutcamealivefemaleturtle;sotheybuilttheirhutandfedtheturtle.Icouldnotlearnanymoreaboutthis,andwhatIhavewrittenisof littleworth.

They also say that the sun andmoon cameoutof acaveinthecountryof acaciquenamedMauciaTivuel;thiscaveiscalledyovovava,andtheyfeelgreatreverenceforit.Itisallpaintedintheirfashion,withoutanyfigure,butwithmanyleaves and the like. In this cave therewere twostonecemies,abouthalf amansarminsize,theirhandstied;theyseemedtobesweating.Theyheldthesecemiesinmuchregard;theysaythatwhenthey needed rain theywould visit these cemies,and the rainwould immediately come.one of thesecemieswascalledBoinayol,andtheotherMaroya.

XII. Their Beliefs Concerning the Wanderings of the Dead, of Their Appearance, and What They Do

They believe the dead go to a place calledCoaybay,ononesideof anislandcalledSoraya.They say that the first to live there was oneMaquetaurieguayava,whowaslordof Coaybay,homeanddwellingplaceof thedead.

Capitulo XI: De las Cosas que Pasaron los Cuatro Hermanos Cuando Iban Huyendo de Yaya

Estos, tan pronto como llegaron a la puerta deBayamaco, y notaron que llevaba cazabe, dijeron: Ahiacabogurocoel,quequieredecir:Conozcamosanuestroabuelo.delmismomododeminnCaracaracol,viendodelantedesiasushermanos,entrparaversipodaconseguiralgncazabe,elcualcazabeeselpanquesecomeenelpas.Caracaracol,entrando en casa de Bayamaco, le pidi cazabe, que es elpan susodicho.y este se puso lamano en la nariz, y le tirounguanguayoa laespalda;elcualguanyuayoestaba llenodecohoba,quehabahechohaceraquelda;lacualcohobaesunciertopolvo,queellostomanavecesparapurgarseyparaotrosefectosquedespussedirn.Estalatomanconunacaademediobrazodelargo,yponenunextremoenlanarizyelotroenelpolvo;as loaspiranpor lanarizyesto leshacepurgargrandemente.yaslesdioporpanaquelguanguayo,envezdelpanquehaca;ysefuemuy indignadoporquese lopedan.Caracaracol,despusdeesto,volvijuntoasushermanos,ylescontloquelehabasucedidoconBayamanacoel,ydelgolpequelehabadadoconelguanguayoenlaespalda,yqueledolafuertemente. Entonces sus hermanos le miraron la espalda,y vieron que la tena muy hinchada; y creci tanto aquellahinchazn,queestuvoapuntodemorir.Entoncesprocuraroncortarla, ynopudieron; y tomandounhachadepiedra se laabrieron,ysaliunatortugaviva,hembra;yassefabricaronsucasaycriaronlatortuga.deestonohesabidoms;ypocoayudaloquellevoescrito.

y tambin dicen que el Sol y la Luna salieron de unacueva,queestenelpasdeuncaciquellamadoMautiatihuel,lacualcuevasellamaIguanaboina;yelloslatienenenmuchaestimacin,ylatienentodapintadaasumodo,sinfiguraalgunaconmuchosfollajesyotrascosassemejantes.yendichacuevahabadoscemes,hechosdepiedra,pequeosdeltamaodemediobrazo.Con lasmanosatadas,yparecanquesudaban.Loscualescemesestimabanmucho;ycuandonollova,dicenque entraban alli a visitarlos y enseguida llova.y de dichoscemes,alunollamabanBoinayelyalotroMrohu.

Capitulo XII: De lo que Piensan Acerca de Andar Vagando los Muertos, y de que Manera Son, y qu Cosa Hacen

Creenquehayun lugaralquevan losmuertos,quesellamaCoaybay,yseencuentraaunladodelaisla,quesellama

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XIII. Of the Forms Which They Assign to the Dead

Theysaythatduringthedaythedeadlive inseclusion,butatnightwalkaboutforrecreationand eat of fruit called guabaxa, which has theflavor of [the quince B.K.] and during the dayis... but at night is changed into fruit; and theyhavefestivitiesandkeepcompanywiththeliving.TheIndianshavethismethodof identifyingdeadpeople:Theytouchthebellyof apersonwiththehand,andif theydonotfindanavel,theysaythatpersonisoperito,whichmeansdead;fortheysaythatdeadpersonshavenonavels.Sometimesonewhodoesnottakethisprecautionandlieswithawomanof Coaybayismocked;forwhenheholdsherinhisarms,shesuddenlydisappearsandhisarms are empty.They still believe this.When apersonisalive,theycallhisspiritgoeiz;whenheisdead,opia.Theysaythatthisgoeizappearstothemoften,nowintheshapeof aman,nowof awoman.Theysaytherewasamanwhowishedtofightwithaspirit;butwhenheclosedwithit,itdisappeared,andthemanflunghisarmsaboutatreefromwhosebrancheshehung.Allof them,youngandold,believethis;theyalsobelievethatthespiritsappear to themin theshapeof theirfather, mother, brothers, relatives, or in someothershape.Thefruitthattheybelievethedeadeatisthesizeof apeach.Thedeaddonotappeartothembyday,butonlybynight,andthereforeonewhowalksaboutatnightfeelsgreatfear.

XIV. Whence Come these Beliefs and Why They Persist in Them

There are certain men among them, calledbohuts, who practice great frauds upon theIndians,asshallbeexplainedhereafter,tomakethem believe that they, the bohutis, speak withthedeadandthattheyknowalltheirdeedsandsecrets, and that when the Indians are ill theycurethem.ThesedeceptionsIhaveseenwithmyowneyes,whereastheotherthingsItoldaboutIheardof onlyfromothers,especiallyfromtheirprincipalmen--because thesemenbelieve thesefablesmorefirmlythantheothers.LiketheMoors,theyhavetheirreligionsetforthinancientchantsbywhichtheyaregoverned,astheMoorsarebytheirScripture.Whentheysingtheirchants,theyplayaninstrumentcalledmayohavauthatismadeof woodandishollow,strong,yetverythin,anelllongandhalf aswide;thepartwhichisplayedhastheshapeof ablacksmithstongs,andtheotherend is like a club, so that it looks like a gourd

Soraya.ElprimeroqueestuvoenCoaybaydicenquefueunoquesellamabaMaquetaurieguayaba,queeraseordeldichoCoaybay,casayhabitacindelosmuertos.

Capitulo XIII: De la Forma que Dicen Tener los Muertos

dicenqueduranteeldaestnrecluidos,yporlanochesalenapasearse,yquecomendeunciertofruto,quesellamaguayaba,quetienesaborde(membrillo),yquededasonyporlanocheseconvertanenfrutayquehacanfiesta,yvanjuntos con los vivos.ypara conocerlos observan esta regla:queconlamanoletocanelvientre,ysinolesencuentranelombligo, dicen que es operito, que quiere decirmuerto: poreso dicen que losmuertos no tienen ombligo.y as quedanengaadosalgunasveces,quenoreparanenesto,yyacenconalgunamujerdelasdeCoaybay,ycuandopiensantenerlasenlosbrazos,notienennada,porquedesaparecenenuninstante.Esto lo creen hasta hoy. Estando viva la persona, llaman alespritu goeza, y despus demuerta, le llaman opa, la cualgoezadicenquelesaparecemuchasvecestantoenformadehombre comodemujer, ydicenquehahabidohombrequeha querido combatir con ella, y que, viniendo a las manos,desapareca, y que el hombremeta los brazos en otra partesobrealgunosrboles,deloscualesquedabacolgado.yestolocreentodosengeneral,tantochicoscomograndes;yqueselesapareceenformadepadre,madre,hermanosoparientes,yenotrasformas.Elfrutodelcualdicenquecomenlosmuertosesdeltamaodeunmembrillo.ylossobredichosmuertosnoseleaparecendeda,sinosiempredenoche;yporesocongranmiedoseatrevealgunoaandarsolodenoche.

Capitulo XIV: De Donde Sacan esto y Quienes les Hacen Estar en tal Creencia

Hayalgunoshombres,quepracticanentreellos,yselesdice behiques, los cuales hacenmuchos engaos, comomasadelante diremos, para hacerles creer que hablan con esos(losmuertos),yquesabentodossushechosysecretos;yque,cuando estn enfermos, les quitan elmal, y as los engaan.Porqueyo lohevistoenparteconmisojos,bienquede lasotras cosas cont solamente loquehabaodoamuchos, enespecialalosprincipales,conquieneshetratadomasqueconotros;puesestoscreenenestasfbulasconmayorcertidumbreque los otros. Pues, lo mismo que los moros, tiene su ley

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withalongneck;thisinstrumentissosonorousthatitcanbeheardaleagueandahalf away.Toitsaccompanimenttheysingtheirchants,whichtheyknowbyheart;andtheirprincipalmenlearnfrominfancytoplayitandsingtoit,accordingtotheircustom.NowIshalltellmanyotherthingsconcerningtheceremoniesandcustomsof theseheathen.

XV. Of How the Buhuitihus Practice Medicine, and What They Teach the People, and of the Deceintions They Practice in Their Cures

AlltheIndiansof theislandof Espaolahavemany different kinds of cemes. In some theykeepthebonesof theirfather,mother,relations,andforebears;thesecemesaremadeof stoneorwood.Theyhavemanyof bothkinds.Therearesomethatspeak,othersthatcausefoodplantstogrow,othersthatbringrain,andothersthatmakethewinds blow.These simple, ignorant people,whoknownotourholyfaith,believethattheseidolsorratherdemonsdoallthesethings.Whenan Indian falls ill, they bring the buhuitihu tohim.Thisdoctormustobserveadietjustlikehispatientandmustassumethesufferingexpressionof asickman.Hemustalsopurgehimself justas the sick man does, by snuffing a powdercalled cohoba up his nose. This produces suchintoxication that they do not know what theyare doing; and they say many senseless things,declaringthattheyarespeakingwiththecemesand that the latter are telling him the cause of theillness.

XVI. What these Buhuitihus Do

Whenabuhuitihugoestocalluponapatient,before leavinghishuthe takessomesoot froma cooking pot, or some charcoal, and blackenshis face in order tomake the sickman believewhateverhemaysayabouthissickness;thenhetakessomesmallbonesanda littlemeat,wrapsthe whole in something so it will not fall out,andputsit inhismouth.Meanwhilethepatienthasbeenpurgedinthemannerdescribedabove.Enteringthesickmanshut,thedoctorsitsdown,andallfallsilent;if thereareanychildreninthehut, they are put out so theywill not interferewith the buhuitihus work; only one or two of the principal men remain. Then the buhuitihutakessomegiieyoherb,...wide,andanotherherb,wrapped inanonion leaf four inches long (but

compendiada en canciones antiguas, por las cuales se rigen,comolosmorosporlaescritura.y,cuandoquierencantarsuscanciones,tocanciertoinstrumento,quesellamamayohabao,queesdemadera,hueco,fuerteymuydelgado,deunbrazodelargoymediodeancho.Lapartedondesetocaesthechaenformadetenazasdeherradorylaotrapartesemejaunamaza,demaneraquepareceunacalabazaconelcuellolargo.yesteinstrumentotocan,elcualtienetantavozqueseoyealeguaymediadedistancia.Assoncantanlascanciones,queaprendendememoria;ylotocanloshombresprincipales,queaprendena taerlodesdeniosyacantarconl, segnsucostumbre.Pasemosahoraatratardeotrasmuchascosasacercadeotrasceremoniasycostumbresdeestosgentiles.

Capitulo XV: De las Observaciones de Estos Indios Behiques, y Cmo Profesan la Medicina, y Ensean a las Gentes, y en sus Curas Medicinales Muchas Veces se Engaan

Todos,olamayorpartedelosdelaislaEspaola,tienenmuchoscemesdediversassuertes.unoscontienenloshuesosdesupadre,ydesumadre,yparientes,ydesusantepasados;los cuales estn hechos de piedra o demadera.y de ambasclases tienenmuchos;algunosquehablan,yotrosquehacennacer lascosasquecomen,yotrosquehacen llover, yotrosquehacensoplar losvientos.Lascualescosascreenaquellossimplesignorantesquehacenaquellosdolos,oporhablarmsapropiadamente,aquellosdemonios,noteniendoconocimientodenuestrasantafe.Cuandoalgunoestaenfermo, le llevanelbehique,queeselmdicosobredicho.Elmdicoestobligadoaguardardieta, lomismoqueelpaciente, y aponer caradeenfermo. Lo cual se hace de este modo que ahora sabris.Es preciso que tambin se purgue como el enfermo; y parapurgarsetomanciertopolvo,llamadocohoba,aspirndoloporlanariz,elcuallesembriagadetalmodoquenosabenloquesehacen;yasdicenmuchascosasfueradejuicio,enlascualesafirmanquehablanconloscemes,yqueestoslesdicenquedeellosleshavenidolaenfermedad.

Capitulo XVI: De lo que Hacen Dichos Behiques

Cuandovanavisitaraalgnenfermo,antesdesalirdecasatomanhollndelasollasocarbnmolido,yseponenlacaratodanegra,parahacercreeralenfermoloquelesparece

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the giieyo herb is what they all generally use),and taking it between his hands, he mashes itintoapulp; and thenheputs it intohismouthatnightsoastovomitanythingharmfulthathemayhaveeaten.Thenhebeginstosinghischantand, taking up a torch, drinks the juice of thatherb.Thisdone,he isquiet fora time; thenherises,goestowardthesickman,wholiesaloneinthemiddleof thehut,andwalksabouthimtwiceor asmany times ashe thinksproper.Thenhestandsinfrontof himandtakeshimbythelegs,feelingof hisbodyfromthe thighs to the feet,afterwhichhedrawshishands away forcefully,asif pullingsomethingout.Thenhegoestothedoor,shuts it,andspeakstoit,saying:Begoneto themountain,or thesea,orwhereyouwillthen after he has blown like one who blowschaff fromhishand,he turnsaround, joinshishandstogetherasif hewereverycold,blowsonhishands,andsucks inhisbreathas if suckingmarrowfromabone,thensucksatthesickmansneck,orstomach,orshoulder,orcheeks,orthebelly or some other part of the body. Havingdone this, he begins to cough andmake a faceasif hehadeatensomethingbitter;thenhespitsintohishandthestoneorboneorpieceof meatthatheputinhismouthathomeorontheroad.Andif itisapieceof food,hetellsthesickman,youmustknowthatyouhaveeatensomethingthatcausedthesicknessfromwhichyousuffer.SeehowIhavetakenitoutof yourbody,whereyourcemilodgeditbecauseyoudidnotpraytohimorbuildhimashrineorgivehimsomeland.If it isastone,hesays,Takegoodcareof it.Sometimes they believe these stones are goodandhelpwomeninchildbirth,andtheytakegoodcareof them,wrappingthemincotton,placingthem in small baskets, and putting foodbeforethem;theydothesamewiththecemiestheyhavein their houses. on a holiday, when they havemuchfood--fish,meat,orbread--theyputsomeof eachfoodinthehouseof thecemi,andnextdaytheycarrythisfoodbacktotheirhutsafterthecemihaseaten.Butitwouldtrulybeamiracleif thecemateof thatoranythingelse, for thecemiisadeadthingof stoneorwood.

XVII. How these Physicians Are Sometimes Paid Back for their Deceptions

If thesickmanshoulddieinspiteof havingdoneallthesethings,andif hehasmanyrelationsoronewhoislordoveravillageandsocanstanduptothebuhuitihuordoctor(formenof smallinfluence dare not contend with them), then

acercadesuenfermedad;yluegocogenalgunoshuesecillosyunpocodecarne.yenvolviendotodoesoenalgunacosaparaquenosecaigan,selometenenlaboca,estandoyaelenfermopurgado con el polvo que hemos dicho. Entrado elmdicoencasadel enfermo, se sienta, y callan todos; y sihaynioslosmandan fuera,paraqueni impidansuoficiodebehique,niquedaen lacasasinounoodosde losmsprincipales.yestandoassolos,tomanalgunashierbasdegeyoanchas,yotrahierba,envueltaenunahojadecebolla,mediacuartalarga;yunadelosdichosgeyoseslaquetomantodoscomnmente,ytrituradasconlasmanoslasamasan;yluegoselaponenenlabocaparavomitar loquehancomido,afindequeno leshagadao.Entoncescomienzanaentonarelcantosusodicho;y encendiendo una antorcha toman aquel jugo. Hecho estoprimero, despus de estar algn tiempo quieto, se levanta elbehique,yvahaciaelenfermoqueestasentadosoloenmediodelacasa,comosehadicho,ydadosvueltasalrededordeel,comoleparece;yluegoseleponedelante,ylotomaporlaspiernas,palpndoloporlosmuslosysiguiendohastalospies;despustiradeelfuertemente,comosiquisieraarrancaralgunacosa.deahvaalasalidadelacasaycierralapuerta,ylehabladiciendo:vetealamontaa,oalmar,oadondequieras.yconunsoplo,comoquiensoplaunapaja, sevuelveunavezmas,juntalasmanosycierralaboca;yletiemblanlasmanos,comocuandosetienemuchofro,ysesoplalasmanos,yaspirael aliento, como cuando se sorbe el tutano de un hueso, ychupa al enfermopor el cuello, opor el estomago, opor laespalda,opor lasmejillas,oporelpecho,oporelvientreopormuchaspartesdelcuerpo.Hechoesto,comienzaatoseryahacerfeosvisajes,comosihubieracomidounacosaamarga,yescupeenlamanoysacaloqueyahemosdichoqueensucasa,oporelcamino,sehabametidoenlaboca,seapiedra,ohueso,ocarne,comoyasehadicho.ysiescosadecomer,ledicealenfermo:Hasdesaberquehascomidounacosaquetehaproducidoelmalquepadeces;miracomotelohesacadodelcuerpo,quetucemtelohabapuestoenelcuerpoporquenolehicisteoracin,onolefabricastealgntemplo,onoledistealgunaheredad.ysiespiedra,ledicengurdalamuybien.yalgunasveces tienenporciertoqueaquellaspiedrassonbuenas,yayudanahacerpariralasmujeres,ylasguardancon mucho cuidado, envueltas en algodn, metindolas enpequeascestas,y ledandecomerde loqueelloscomen;ylomismohacenconloscemesquetienenencasa.Algndasolemne,enquellevanmuchodecomer,pescado,carne,opan,ocualquierotracosa,ponendetodoenlacasadelcemi,paraquecomadeaquelloeldichodolo.Aldasiguientellevantodas

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thosewhowishtodothebuhuitihumischief dothefollowing:First, inordertolearnif thesickmandiedthroughthedoctorsfault,orbecausehe did not observe the diet that the doctorprescribedforhim, theserelations takeanherbwhich is called gueyo, whose leaves resemblethose of the sweet basil, being thick and long;thisherb isalsocalledzacn.Theysqueezethejuicefromtheleaf,thencutthedeadmansnailsandthehairabovehisforehead,poundthenailsand hair to a powder between two stones,mixthispowderwiththejuiceof theherb,andpourthemixturebetweenthedeadmanslipstofindoutfromhimif thedoctorwasthecauseof hisdeathandwhetherheobservedhisdiet.Theyaskthisof himmanytimes,untilat leasthespeaksas distinctly as if hewere alive and answers alltheirquestions,sayingthatthebuhuitihudidnotobservethediet,orwasthecauseof hisdeath.Theysaythatthedoctoraskshimif heisalive,andthathecanspeakveryclearly;herepliesthathe is dead. After they have learned from himwhattheywanttoknow,theyreturnhimtothegravefromwhichtheytookhim.Theyperformthis sorcery in still another way. They take thedeadman andmake a great fire like that usedfor making charcoal, and when the wood hasturnedtolivecoals,theythrowthebodyintothatfierceblaze;thentheycoveritwithearth,asthecharcoal-burner does the charcoal, and leave itthereaslongastheythinkadvisable.Thentheyask him the same question as above.The deadmanrepliesthatheknowsnothing.Thistheyaskof himtentimes,andtentimesherepliesinthesameway.Againtheyaskhimif heisdead,buthewillspeakonlythosetentimes.

XVIII. How the Dead Mans Relatives Avenge themselves When They Have Had a Reply Through the Sorcery of the Potions

Thedeadmansrelationsassembleonacertaindayandlieinwaitforthesaidbuhuitihu,givehimsuch a thrashing that they break his legs, arms,andhead,andleavehimfordead.Atnight,theysay,therecomemanydifferentkindsof snakes--white,black,green,andmanyothercolors--thatlick the face and whole body of the physicianwhomtheIndianshaveleftfordead.Thistheydotwoorthreenightsinsuccession;andpresently,they say, the bones of his body knit togetheragain andmend.Andhe rises andwalks ratherslowlytohishome.Thosewhomeethimontheroad say, Wereyounotdead?He replies thatthecemiescametohisaidintheshapeof snakes.

estasviandas a sus casas,despusquehacomidoel cem.y

as lesayudadioscomoelcemcomedeaquello,nideotra

cosa,siendoelcemcosamuerta,formadadepiedraohecha

demadera.

Capitulo XVII: Cmo Algunas Veces los Sobredichos Mdicos se Han Engaado

Cuando,despusdehaberhecholascosasmencionadas,

de todos modos el enfermo se muere, si el muerto tiene

muchosparientes,oesseordeunpueblo,ypuedeenfrentarse

condichobehique,quequieredecirmedicopueslosque

pocopuedennoseatrevenacontenderconestosmdicos--;

elquelequierehacerdaohacelosiguiente:queriendosaber

sielenfermohamuertoporculpadelmdico,oporqueno

guardladietacomoesteloorden,tomanunahierbaque

sellamageyo,quetienelashojassemejantesalaalbahaca,

gruesaylarga,ypornombrellamasezacn.Sacan,pues,el

jugodelahoja,ylecortanalmuertolasuasyloscabellos

quetieneencimadelafrente,yloreducenapolvoentredos

piedras,locualmezclanconeljugodedichahierbaylodan

abeberalmuertoporlabocaoporlanarizy,haciendoesto,

preguntanalmuertosielmedicofueocasindesumuertey

siguardladieta.yestoselopreguntanmuchasveces,hasta

que al fin habla tan claramente como si estuviese vivo; de

modoquevienearesponderatodoaquelloquelepreguntan,

diciendoqueelbehiquenoguardladieta,ofuecausantede

sumuerteaquellavez.ydicenquelepreguntaelmdicosi

estavivo,ycomohablatanclaramente;yelrespondequeesta

muerto.y,despusquehansabidoloquequeran,lovuelven

a la sepulturadedonde lo sacaronpara saberde el lo que

hemosdicho.Hacentambindeotromodolosmencionados

hechizosparasaberloquequieren:tomanalmuerto,yhacen

ungranfuego,semejanteaaquelconqueelcarbonerohace

carbn, y cuando los leos se han convertido en brasas,

echanalmuertoenaquellagranhoguera,ydespuslocubren

detierra,comoelcarbonerocubreelcarbn,yalllodejan

estarcuantolesparece.yestandoas,lointerrogancomoya

sehadichoantes:elcualrespondequenosabenada.yesto

selopreguntandiezvecesydeallenadelanteyanohabla

ms.Lepreguntansiestamuerto;perolnohablamsque

estasdiezveces.

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Capitulo XVIII: Cmo se Vengan los Parientes del Muerto Cuando Han Tenido Respuesta por El Hechizo de las Bebidas

Se renen un da los parientes del muerto, y esperanal susodichobehique, y ledan tantospalosque le rompen laspiernas y los brazos y la cabeza,molindolo todo, y lo dejanascreyendohaberlomatado.yporlanochedicenquevienenmuchasculebrasdediversasclases,blancas,negrasyverdes,ydeotrosmuchoscolores,lascualeslamenlacaraytodoelcuerpodeldichomedicoquedejaronpormuertocomohemosdicho.Elcualseestaasdosotresdas,ymientrasestaas,dicenqueloshuesosdelaspiernasyde losbrazosvuelvenaunirseysesueldan,yqueselevanta,ycaminapocoysevuelveasucasa.ylosque loven lepreguntandiciendoTunoestabasmuerto?Perolrespondeque loscemesfueronensuayudaenformade culebras.y los parientes delmuerto,muy irritados porquecreanhabervengadolamuertedesupariente,vindolovivo,sedesesperanyprocuranecharlemanoparadarlemuerte;ysi lopuedencogerotravez,lesacanlosojosylerompenlostestculos;porquedicenqueningunode estosmdicospuedemorir pormuchospalosygolpesqueseledensinolesacanlostestculos.

Capitulo XVIII BIS: Como Saben lo que Quieren de Aquel que Han Quemado, y Cmo se Vengan

Cuandodescubrenelfuego,elhumoqueselevantasubehaciaarribahastaquelopierdendevista,ydaunchirridoalsalirdelhorno.vuelveluegoabajoyentraencasadelbehiquemedico,yesteseenfermaenesemismoinstantesinoguardladieta,ysellenadellagasyselepelatodoelcuerpo.yestotienenporsealdequenolahaguardado,yqueporesomurielenfermo.Porlocualprocuranmatarlo,comoyasehadicho.Estassonpueslashechicerasquesuelenhacer.

Capitulo XIX: Cmo Hacen y Guardan los Cemes de Madera o de Piedra

Los demadera se hacen de estemodo: cuando algunovadecaminodicequeveunrbol,elcualmuevelaraz;yelhombrecongranmiedosedetieneylepreguntaquienes.yelleresponde:Llmameaunbehiqueyeltedirquiensoy.yaquelhombre,idoalsusodichomdico,lediceloquehavisto.yelhechiceroobrujocorreenseguidaaverelrboldequeelotrolehahablado,sesientanjuntoal,ylehacelacohoba,como

And the dead mans relations, very angry anddesperatebecausetheythoughttheyhadavengedthedeathof theirkinsman,againtrytolayhandson him; and if they catch him a second time,they pluck out his eyes and smashhis testicles,for they saynoamountof beatingwillkilloneof thesephysicians if theydonotfirst tearouthistesticles.Howthedeadmanwhomtheyhaveburnedrevealswhattheywishtoknow,andhowtheytaketheirvengeance.Whentheyuncoverthefire,thesmokerisesuntilitislostfromsight,andwhen it leaves the furnace, itmakes a chirpingnoise.Thenitdescendsandentersthehutof thebuhuitihu or doctor. If he did not observe thediet, he falls sick that verymoment, is coveredwithsores,andhiswholebodypeels.This theytakeforasign thathedidnotobservehisdiet,andsotheytrytokillhiminthemannerdescribedabove.Thesearethesorceriestheyperform.

XIX. How They Make and Keep their Wooden or Stone Cemies

Theymakethewoodencemiesinthisfashion.If amanwalkingalongthewayseesatreemovingitsroots,hestops,filledwithfear,andaskswhoitis.Thetreereplies,Summonabuhuitihu,andhewilltellyouwhoIam.Thenthatmangoesinsearchof aphysicianandtellshimwhathehasseen.Thesorcererorwarlock immediatelyrunstoward that tree, sits down by it, and preparesacohobaforit,asdescribedinthestoryof thefourbrothers.Andhavingmadethecohoba,herises, andpronounces all its titles as ifitwere agreat lord,andsaysto it:Tellmewhoyouareandwhatyouaredoinghere,andwhatyouwantof me andwhy you summonedme.Tellme if youwantmetocutyoudown,and if youwishtocomewithme,andhowyouwantmetocarryyou;forIshallbuildahouseforyouandendowitwithland.Thenthatcemiortree,becomeanidolordevil,tellshimtheshapeinwhichitwantstobemade.And thesorcerercuts itdownandcarvesitintotheshapethatithasordered,buildsahouseforitandendowsitwithland;andmanytimesayearhemakescohobaforit.

Thiscohobaistheirmeansof prayingtotheidolandalsoof asking itforriches.Whentheywish to know if they will gain a victory overtheirenemies,theyenterahuttowhichonlytheprincipalmenareadmitted.Andthe lord is thefirsttomakethecohobaandplaysaninstrument;andwhilehemakesthecohobanonemayspeak.Afterhehasfinishedhisprayerhe remains forsome time with bowed head and arms resting

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onhisknees;thenheliftshishead,looksuptothesky,andspeaks.Allrespondtohiminaloudvoice, and having spoken, they all give thanks;andherelatesthevisionhehadwhilestupefiedwiththecohobathathesnuffeduphisnoseandthatwenttohishead.Hetellsthathehasspokenwiththecemiandthattheywillgainthevictory,or that theirenemieswillflee,or that therewillbemanydeaths,orwars,orfamines,orthelike.orwhatevercomestohisaddledheadtosay.onecan imagine the state he is in, for they say thehouseappearstohimtobeturnedupside-downand thepeople tobewalkingwith their feet intheair.Thiscohobatheymakenotonlyforthecemesof stoneandwoodbutalsoforthebodiesof the dead, as told above. There are differentkindsof stonecemes.Somethedoctorsextractfrom bodies of sick people, and it is believedthesearethebesttoinducechildbirthinpregnantwomen.Thereareothercemesthatspeak;thesehavetheshapeof alargeturnipwithleavesthattrailoverthegroundandareaslongastheleavesof thecaperbush;theseleavesgenerallyresemblethoseof theelm,othershavethreepoints:Thenatives believe they help the yucca grow. Theroot resembles that of the radish, and the leaf generallyhassixorsevenpoints.Iknownotwithwhattocompareit,becauseIhaveseennoplantlikeitinSpainorinanyothercountry.Thestalkof theyuccaisahighasaman.

Now I shall tell of their beliefs concerningtheir idolsandcemes,andhowtheyaregreatlydeludedbythem.

XX. Concerning the Cem Buyab, Which Was Burned in Time of War, and Aftemoards, Being Washed With the Juice of the Yucca, Its Arms, Eyes, and Body Grew Back

Because the yucca plant was stunted, theywashed [this cemi B.K.] With wilter and theaforesaidjuiceinordertomakeitlarge;theysaythiscemimadeillthosewhohadmadeitbecausetheyhadnotbroughtitcassavatoeat.Thenameof thiscemiwasvaibrama.Andif someonefellill, they called thebuhuitihu and askedhim thecause of that sick ness. The buhuitihu repliedthatvaibramahadcauseditbecausefoodhadnotbeensenttothecaretakersof thatcemishouse.

XXI. Concerning the Cem of Guamorete

They say that when they built the house of guamorete,whowas aprincipalman, theyputinitacem,whichhekeptontopof hishouse;

anteshemosdichoenlahistoriadeloscuatrohermanos.Hechalacohoba,seponedepie,yledicetodossusttulos,comosifuerandeungranseor,ylepregunta:dimequieneres,yquehacesaqu,yquequieresdemiyporquemehashechollamar.dimesiquieresquetecorte,osiquieresvenirconmigo,ycomoquieresquetelleve,queyoteconstruirunacasaconheredad.Entoncesaquelrbolocem,hechodoloodiablo,lerespondedicindolelaformaenquequierequelohaga.yellocortaylohacedelmodoque lehaordenado; le fabrica su casa conheredad,ymuchasvecesalaolehacelacohoba.

Lacualcohobaesparahacerleoracin,yparacomplacerloyparapreguntarysaberdeldichocemlascosasmalasybuenastambin para pedirle riquezas. y, cuando quieren saber sialcanzaranvictoriacontrasusenemigos,entranenunacasaenla que no entra nadiems que los hombres principales.y elseordeelloseselprimeroquecomienzaahacerlacohobaytocauninstrumento;ymientrashacelacohoba,ningunodelosqueestnensucompaahablahastaqueelseorhaconcluido.despusquehaterminadosuoracin,estaunratoconlacabezabajaylosbrazossobrelasrodillas;luegoalzalacabeza,mirandoalcielo,yhabla.Entoncestodoslerespondenauntiempoenaltavoz;yhabiendohabladotodos,dangracias,yelnarralavisinquehatenido,ebrioconlacohobaquehasorbidoporlanarizyselesubialacabeza.ydicehaberhabladoconelcem,yqueconseguirnlavictoria,oquesusenemigoshuirn,oquehabrgranmortandad,oguerras,ohambreuotracosatal,segnqueel,queestaborracho,diceloquerecuerda.Juzguencomoestarelcerebro,puesdicenquelespareceverquelascasassevolteanconloscimientosparaarriba,yqueloshombrescaminanconlospieshaciaelcielo.yestacohobaselahacennosoloaloscemesdepiedraydemadera,sinotambinaloscuerposdelosmuertos,segnarribahemosdicho.

Los cemes de piedra son de diversas hechuras. Hayalgunos que dicen que los mdicos sacan del cuerpo, y losenfermostienenqueaquellossonlosmejoresparahacerpariralasmujerespreadas.Hayotrosquehablan,loscualestienenformadeunnabogrueso,conlashojasextendidasportierraylargascomolasdelasalcaparras;lascualeshojas,porlogeneral,separecenalasdelolmo;otrostienentrespuntas,ycreenquehacennacerlayuca.Tienenlarazsemejantealrbano.Lahojade layuca tienecuandoms seiso sietepuntas;noseaquecosapuedacompararla,porquenohevistoningunaqueseleparezcaenEspaanienotropas.Eltallodelayucaesdelaalturadeunhombre.digamosahoradelacreenciaquetienenenloquetocaasusdolosycemes,ydelosgrandesengaosquedeestosreciben.

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the name of this cemi was Corocote. once intimeof war theenemiesof guamoretesetfiretohishouse.Then,theysay,Corocotegotupandwalkedacrossbowshotfromthatplace,nexttothewater.Theyfurthersaythatwhilehelivedonthe topof that househewould comedown atnightandliewiththewomen.Afterguamoretedied this cemi fell into the hands of anothercacique,andcontinuedtoliewithwomen.Theyalsosaythattwocrownsgrewonhishead,andthatiswhytheyusedtosay[of someoneB.K.],sincehehastwocrownsheiscertainlythesonof Corocote. All this they believed withoutquestion.This cem later fell into thehandsof another cacique named guatabanex, and theplacewherehelivedwasnamedyacab.

XXII. Concerning Another Cem Named Opiyelguovircn, Who Belonged to a Principal Man Named Cavavaniovavc, Who Had Many Vassals

Theysaythiscemopiyelguovircnhadfourlegs, like a dog, and was made of wood, andfrequentlylefthishousebynightandwentintothewoods.Theywouldgoinsearchof him,andbring him back to the house tied with cords,but he always returned to thewoods.They saythatwhentheSpaniardsarrivedontheislandof Espaola, this cemi fled andwent to a lagoon;theyfollowedhimtherebyhistracks,butneversawhimagain,andknownothingmoreof him.Thatisthestorytheytell,andfaithfullydoItellitagain.

XXIII. Concerning Another Cem Named Guabancex

This cemi lived in the land of a principalcacique,namedAumatex.Itisawoman,andtheysay she has two other cemes for companions;one is a herald and the other is the collectorandgovernorof thewaters.Theysaythatwhenguabancex is angry, she raises the winds andwater, throws down houses, and tears up thetrees.Theysaythiscemiisawomanandismadeof stones of that country. Her herald, namedguatauba,carriesoutherordersbymaking theother cemies of the province help in raisingwind and rain.Her other companion is namedCoatrisquiof himtheysaythathecollectsthewatersinthevalleysbetweenthemountainsandthenletsthemloosetodestroythecountryside.Thepeopleholdthistobegospeltruth.

Capitulo XX: Del Cem Buya y Aiba, del que Dicen que, Cuando Hubo Guerra, lo Quemaron, y Despus, Lavndolo con el Jugo de la Yuca, le Crecieron los Brazos, y le Nacieron de Nuevo los Ojos y le Creci el Cuerpo

Layucaerapequea,yconelaguayeljugomencionadole lavaban para que fuese grande; y afirman que causabaenfermedades a los que haban hecho dicho cem, por nohaberlellevadoyucaquecomer.EstecemisellamabaBaibrama.y cuando alguno se enfermaba, llamaban al behique, y lepreguntabandequeprocederasuenfermedad,yelrespondaqueBaibramaselahabaenviado,porquenolehabamandadodecomerporconductodelosquetenancuidadodesucasa.yestodecaelbehiquequelehabadichoelcemBaibrama.

Capitulo XXI: Del Cem de Guamorete

dicenquecuandohicieronlacasadeguamorete,elcualeraunhombreprincipal,pusieronalluncem,queelteniaenloaltodesucasa,elcualcemisellamabaCorocote,yunavezque tuvieron guerra entre ellos, los enemigos deguamoretequemaronlacasaenqueestabadichocemiCorocote.dicenqueentoncesesteselevantoysemarchodeaquellugaradistanciadeuntirodeballesta,juntoaunasaguas.ydicenqueestandoencimadelacasa,denochebajabayyacaconlasmujeres;yquedespusguamoretemuri,yquedichocemvinoapararamanosdeotrocacique,yqueseguayaciendoconlasmujeres.ydicenademsqueenlacabezalenacierondoscoronas,porloquesolandecir:Puestoquetienedoscoronas,ciertamenteeshijodeCorocote.yestolotenancertsimo.Estecemlotuvo luego otro cacique, llamadoguatabanex, y su lugar sellamabaJacagua.

Capitulo XXII: Del otro Cemi, que se Llamaba Opiyelguobirn, y lo Tena un Hombre Principal, que se Llamaba Sabananiobabo, que Tenia Muchos Vasallos Bajo su Mando

Elcualcemopiyelguobirndicenquetienecuatropies,comodeperro,yesdemadera,yquemuchasvecesporlanochesaladecasayseibaalasselvas.Allibanabuscarlo,yvueltoacasa loatabanconcuerdas;perol sevolvaa las selvas.ycuandoloscristianosllegaronaladichaislaEspaola,cuentanqueesteescapysefueaunalaguna;yqueaquelloslosiguieronhastaallporsushuellas,peroquenuncamaslovieron,nisabennadadel.Comolocompr,astambinlovendo.

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XXIV. Their Beliefs Conceming the Cemi Named Faraguvaol

Thiscemiisanidolwhobelongstoaprincipalcaciqueof the islandof Espaola and goesbyvariousnames.Hewas found in amanner thatI shallnowrelate.Theysay thatoneday in thepast, before the island was discovered [by theSpaniards B.K.], but they do not know howlongago,someIndianswhilehuntingfoundananimal which they pursued; it threw itself intoaditch,andwhentheylookedforit,theysawalogthatseemedalive.Atsightof thisthehunterimmediately ran tohis lord,whowas a caciqueandthefatherof guarayonel,andtoldhimwhathehadseen.Theywentthereandfoundittobeasthehunterhadsaid,sotheytookthatlogandbuilt ahouse for it.They say thecemi left thathouseseveraltimesandreturnedtoaplacenearthat place whence they had brought him. Theaforesaidlordorhissonguarayonelsentmentosearchforthecemi,andtheyfoundhimhiding;they tied him up again and put him in a sack;yet,tiedashewas,hegotawayasbefore.Theseignorantpeopleholdthistobemostcertaintruth.

XXV. Concerning What Is Alleged to Have Been Said by Two Principal Caciques of the Island of Espaola, One of them Cacivaquel, Father of the Aforesaid Guarayonel, and the Other, Gamanacoel

Thegreat lordwhotheybelieve is inheaven(asIwroteatthebeginningof thisbook)orderedCacivaquel to fast, which they all generally do,staying in seclusion six or seven days at a timewithout eating or drinking anything except thejuice of the herbs with which they also washthemselves.Whenthefastingperiodisfinished,theybegintotakenourishment.duringthetimeof their fast their bodily and mental weaknesscauses them to see things that they perhapswanted to see. They all fast in honor of theircemes, inordertolearnfromthemif theywillgain a victory over their enemies, to acquireriches,ortosatisfysomeotherdesire.Andtheysay this cacique claimed to have spoken withyiocavugama,whohadannouncedtothecaciquethat those who succeeded to his power wouldenjoy it only a short time because therewouldcome to his country a people wearing clotheswhowouldconquerandkilltheIndians,andthattheywoulddiefromhunger.Atfirsttheythoughthereferredtothecannibals;later,reflectingthatthe cannibals only robbed and thenwent away,

Capitulo XXIII: Del otro Cem que se Llamaba Guabancex

Este cem guabancex estaba en un pas de un grancacique de los principales, llamado Aumatex. El cual cemesmujer, ydicenquehayotrosdos en su compaa; el unoespregoneroyelotro recogedorygobernadorde las aguas.ydicenquecuandoguabancex se encolerizahacemover elvientoyelaguayechaportierralascasasyarrancalosrboles.Estecemdicenqueesmujer,yestahechodepiedrasdeaquelpas;ylosotrosdoscemesqueestnensucompaasellamanelunoguataba,yespregonerooheraldo,quepormandatodeguabancexordenaque todos losotros cemesde aquellaprovincia ayuden a hacer mucho viento y lluvia. El otro sellama Coatrisquie, el cual dicen que recoge las aguas de losvalles entre lasmontaas, ydespus lasdeja correrparaquedestruyanelpas.yestolotienenellosporcierto.

Capitulo XXIV: De lo que Creen de otro Cem, que se Llama Baraguabael

EstecemesdeuncaciqueprincipaldelaislaEspaola,yesun dolo, y le atribuyendiversosnombres, y fuehalladodelmodoqueahoraoiris.dicenqueunda,antesdequelaisla fuesedescubierta, enel tiempopasado,no sabencuantotiempohace,andandodecaza,hallaronunciertoanimal,trasdelcualcorrieron,ylhuyaunhoyo;ymirandoporl,vieronunleoqueparecacosaviva.dedondeelcazador,alveresto,corriasuseor,queeracaciqueypadredeguaraionel,yledijoloquehabavisto.Luegofueronallyencontraronlacosacomoelcazadordeca;ycogidoaqueltronco,leedificaronunacasa.dicenquedeaquellacasa saliovariasveces, y se ibaallugardedondelohabantrado,peronoyaalmismolugar,sinocerca.Porlocualelseorsobredicho,osuhijoguaraionel,lomandabuscarylohallaronescondido;yloatarondenuevoylometieronenunsaco.ycontodoesto,asatado,seibacomoantes.yestotieneporcosaciertsimaaquellagenteignorante.

Capitulo XXV: De las Cosas que Afirman Haber Dicho dos Caciques Principales de la Isla Espaola, Uno Llamado Cacibaquel, Padre del Mencionado Guarionex, y el Otro Guamanacoel

yaaquelgranseor,quedicenestenelcielo,segnestaescritoenelprincipiodeestelibro,hizoCicihuunayuno,elcual

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they decided he must have meant some otherpeople. That is why they now believe that theidolprophesiedthecomingof theAdmiralandthepeoplewhocamewithhim.NowIshalltellwhat Ihave seenandexperienced.WhenI andotherbrotherswereabouttodepartforCastile,I, Fray Ram6n, a poor anchorite [was orderedB.K.]toremain,andIwenttothefortressof LaMagdalena,whichwasbuiltbydonChristopherColumbus,Admiral,viceroy,andgovernorof theislandsandmainlandof theIndies,byorderof KingFerdinandandQueenIsabellaourmasters.While Iwas in that fort, in thecompanyof itscaptain,Arteaga,godwas pleased to enlightenwiththelightof theHolyCatholicFaiththeentirehouseholdof theprincipalchief of theprovincein which stands the fortress of Magdalena.This province was calledMacorix, and its lordis named guavaoconel, which means son of guavaenequn.Inthathousewerehisservantsandfavorites,whoarecalledyahunaboriu;therewere sixteen persons in all, all relations of his,including five grown brothers. one of themdied, and the other four received the water of holybaptism,andIbelievetheydiedmartyrs,asisshownbytheirconstancyandthemannerof their death.Thefirst to be killed after baptismwas an Indian namedguaticav, who receivedthe baptismal name of Juan. He was the firstChristiantosufferacrueldeath,andcertainamIthathediedamartyrsdeath.Ilearnedfromsomewhowerepresentwhenhediedthatherepeatedlysaid,diosnaboriadaca,diosnaboriadaca,whichmeans,Iamtheservantof god.HisbrotherAntonioandanotherwhowaswithhimdiedinthesamemanner,utteringthesamewords.Thepeopleof thishouseholdalwayswereattentivetomywishes.AllthosewhohavesurvivedarestillChristians, thanks to thework of the aforesaidChristopherColumbus,viceroyandgovernorof theIndies;andnow,throughgodsfavor,therearemanymoreChristians.

NowIshalltellwhathappenedinthefortressof LaMagdalena.While I was there, the LordAdmiralcametorelieveArteagaandsomeotherChristianswhowerebesiegedby their enemies,the subjects of a principal cacique namedCaonab.AtthattimetheLordAdmiraltoldmethat theprovinceof Magdalenahada languagethat was different from any other andwas notunderstood elsewhere on the island, and that Ishouldgotolivewithanotherprincipalcaciquenamedguarionex, a lord overmany vassals, ashis language was understood throughout thecountry.Byhis order, then, Iwent to livewith

hacencomnmentetodosellos.Paraloqueestnrecluidosseisosietedassincomercosaalguna,exceptojugodelashierbasconquetambinselavan.Acabadoestetiempo.Comienzanacomeralgunacosaquelesdasustento.yeneltiempoquehanestadosincomer,porladebilidadquesientenenelcuerpoyenlacabeza,dicenhabervistoalgunacosaquizdeseadaporellos.Por locual todoshacenaquelayunoenhonorde loscemesquetienen,parasabersialcanzaranvictoriadesusenemigos,paraadquirirriquezasoporcualquierotracosaquedesean.

y dicen que este cacique afirm haber hablado conyucahuguam,quienlehabadichoquecuantosdespusdesumuertequedasenvivos,gozaranpocotiempodesudominio,porquevendraasupasunagentevestida,queloshabradedominar y matar, y que se moriran de hambre. Pero ellospensaronprimeroqueestoshabrandeserloscanbales,masluego, considerando que estos no hacan sino robar y huir,creyeronqueotragentehabradeseraquellaquedecaelcem.dedondeahoracreenquesetratadelAlmiranteydelagentequellevaconsigo.

Ahoraquierocontarloquehevistoypasado,cuandoyoyotroshermanosbamosairaCastilla.yyo,frayRamn,pobreermitao,mequede,yfuialaMagdalena,aunafortalezaquehizoconstruirdonCristbalColn,almirante,virreyygobernadordelasIslasydelaTierraFirmedelasIndias,pormandatodelreydonFernandoydelareinadoaIsabel,nuestrosseores.Estandoyo,pues,enaquellafortalezaencompaadeArteaga,capitn de ella, pormandato del susodicho gobernador donCristbalColn,plugoadiosiluminarconlaluzdelasantafecatlicatodaunacasadelagenteprincipaldelasobredichaprovinciadeMagdalena,cuyaprovinciasellamabayaMacors,yelseordeellasellamaguanaoboconel,quequieredecirhijodeguanaoboconel,quequieredecirhijodeguanaobocn.Endichacasaestabansusservidoresyfavoritos,quesonllamadosnaboras;yeranentotaldiecisispersonas,todosparientes,entreloscualeshabacincohermanosvarones.deestosmuriuno,ylosotroscuatrorecibieronelaguadelsantobautismo;ycreoquemurieronmrtires,por loqueensumuerteyconstanciasevio.Elprimeroque recibi lamuerte, y el aguadel santobautismo, fueun indio llamadoguaticaba,quedespus tuvoel nombrede Juan.Este fue el primer cristianoquepadecimuertecruel,ytengociertoquetuvomuertedemrtir.Porquehesabidoporalgunosqueestuvieronpresentesasumuerte,quedeca:diosnaboradaca,diosnaboradaca,quequieredeciryosoysiervodedios.yasmurisuhermanoAntn,y con el otro, diciendo lomismo que el. Los de esta casa y

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guarionex. However, I said to the governor,donChristopherColumbus,Sir,howcanyourLordship askme to staywithguarionex,whenthe only language I know is that of Macorix?LetyourLordshippermittocomewithmeoneof the Nuhuirci (these people later becameChristians) who know both languages. Hegranted my wish, and said I might take alonganyoneIwished.Andgodwaspleased togiveme for companion the best of all the Indians,and the best instructed in the Holy CatholicFaith;afterwardsHetookhimfromme:Praisedbe god who gave him to me and then tookhimaway.Truly I lookeduponhimasmyowngoodsonandbrother.Hewasguaicavan,whoafterwardsbecameaChristianunderthenameof Juan. I, apooranchorite, shall tell someof thethingsthatbefellusthere,beginningwithhowIandguaicavan departed for Isabela and therewaitedfortheLordAdmiraluntilhisreturnfromtherelief of Magdalena.Assoonashereturned,wesetoutfortheplacewheretheLordgovernorhadsentus,accompaniedbyJuandeAyala,whohadcommandof thefortressof LaConcepci6nthat the governor Christopher Columbus hadbuilt half a league from the place where weweregoingtoreside.TheLordAdmiralorderedJuandeAyalatoprovideuswithfoodfromthestoresof thefortress.Westayedwiththecaciqueguarionexalmost twoyears,duringwhich timewe instructed him in our holy faith and thecustomsof theChristians.Atfirsthe appearedwell disposed toward us, causing us to believethat hewould do all wewished andwanted tobecomeaChristian,forheaskedustoteachhimthePaterNoster,theAveMaria,theCredo,andall theotherprayers and things that areproperfor a Christian to know. He learned the PaterNoster, the Ave Maria, and the Credo, as didmany other persons of his household; he saidhisprayerseverymorningandmadethepeopleof his household say them twice a day.But helater grew angrywith us and backslid fromhisgoodpurposesonaccountof theprincipalmenof thatcountry,whoscoldedhimforobeyingtheChristianlaw.TheysaidtheChristianswerecruelandhadtakentheirlandsawaybyforce;thereforetheyadvisedhimtopaynoheedtotheChristians;instead they should take counsel together howthey might best kill the Christians, since thesewereinsatiableandtherewasnowayof placatingthem. So he gave up his good ways and we,seeing that he was drawing away from us andabandoningour teachings,decided togowherewe might have more success in indoctrinating

gentetodosestuvieronenmicompaaparahacercuantomeagradaba. Los que quedaron vivos y todava viven hoy, soncristianosporobradelsusodichodonCristbalColn,virreyygobernadordelasIndias;yahorahaymuchosmascristianosporlagraciadedios.

digamos ahora lo que nos sucedi en la Provincia deMagdalena. Hallndome en la mencionada Magdalena, vinoeldichoseorAlmiranteensocorrodeArteagaydealgunoscristianosasediadosporlosenemigos,sbditosdeuncaciqueprincipal llamado Canoabo. El seor Almirante me dijoentonces que la provincia de Magdalena (o) Macors tenalenguadistintadelaotra,yquenoseentendasuhablaportodoelpas.Peroqueyomefueseavivirconotrocaciqueprincipal,llamadoguarionex,seordemuchagente,puesla lenguadeeste se entenda por toda la tierra.As, por sumandato,mefui a vivir con el dichoguarionex.y bien es verdad que ledijealseorgobernadordonCristbalColon:Seor.?ComoquierevuestraSeoraqueyovayaavivirconguarionex,nosabiendomaslenguaqueladeMacors?dmelicenciavuestraSeoraparaquevengaconmigoalgunode losdeNuhuirey,que despus fueron cristianos, y saban ambas lenguas. Locualmeconcedi,ymedijoquellevaseconmigoaquienmasmeagradase.ydiosporsubondadmedioporcompaaalmejordelosindios,yelmsentendidoenlasantafecatlica;ydespusmeloquito.Alabadoseadiosquemelodioyluegomeloquito.verdaderamenteyoloteniaporbuenhijoyhermano;eraguatcanabu,quedespusfuecristianoysellamoJuan.

de las cosas que all nospasaron, yo, pobre ermitao,diralguna,ydecmosalimosyoyguatcabanuyfuimosalaIsabela,yallesperamosalseorAlmirantehastaquevolvidelsocorroquedioalamagdalena.ytanprontocomollego,nosfuimos adonde el seor gobernador nos habamandado, encompaadeunoquesellamabaJuandeAyala,quetuvoasucargounafortalezaquedichogobernadordonCristbalColnhizofabricaramedialeguadellugardondenosotroshabamosderesidir.yelseorAlmirantemandoadichoJuandeAyalaquenosdiesedecomerdetodoloquehabaenlafortaleza,lacual fortalezase llamabaConcepcin.Nosotrosestuvimosporconsiguienteconaquelcaciqueguarionexcasidosaos,ensendolesiemprenuestrasantafeylascostumbresdeloscristianos.Alprincipiomostrbuenavoluntadydioesperanzadehacercuantonosotrosquisiramosydequerersercristiano,diciendoque leensesemoselPadreNuestro, elAveMariayelCredoyetodaslasotrasoracionesycosaspropiasdeuncristiano.yasaprendielPadreNuestroyelAveMariayel

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theIndians inourholyfaith.Sowe leftfor thecountryof anotherprincipalchief whoseemedwell disposed toward us and said hewanted tobeaChristian.ThiscaciquewasnamedMaviatu.

Howwedepartedforthecountryof Maviatu,beingI,FrayRamnPane,apooranchorite,FrayJuan de Borgoa, of theorder of St. Francis,and JuanMatthew,whowas thefirst to receivebaptismontheislandof Espaola.Thedayafterweleftthevillageanddwellingof guarionexforthelandof thecaciqueMaviatu,thepeopleof guarionexbuiltahutnexttothechapel,wherewehadleftsomeimagesbeforewhichtheneophytescouldkneel andpray and Ifind comfort; theseneophyteswerethemother,brothers,andrelativesof Juan Matthew; afterwards seven othersjoined them.Eventuallyall themembersof hishouseholdbecameChristiansandremainedloyaltoourholyfaith,keepingwatchoverthatchapelandsomefieldsthatIhadcausedtobetilled.ontheseconddayafterourdepartureforMaviatusvillage,byordersof guarionexsixmencametothechapelandtoldthesevenneophyteswhohaditinchargetotakethesacredimagesthatIhadleftintheircareanddestroythem,becauseFrayRamnandhiscompanionshadgoneawayandwouldnotknowwho Ihaddone it.The sevenboys who guarded the chapel tried to preventthemfromentering;buttheyforcedtheirwayin,tookthesacredimages,andcarriedthemaway.

XXVI. What Happened to the Images, and of the Miracle That God Caused to Pass in Order to Show His Power

Afterleavingthechapelthosementhrewtheimages to the ground, heaped earth on them,and pissed on top, saying, Nowwill you yieldgoodandabundantfruit;theyofferedthisinsultbecause they had buried the images in a tilledfield. Seeing this, the lads who watched overthe chapel ran to their elders,whowere in thefields,andtoldthemthatguarionexspeoplehaddesecrated the images and had jeered at them.The Indians immediately left what they weredoingandrancryingtotellwhathadhappenedtodonBartholomewColumbus,thengoverningforhisbrother theAdmiral,whohadsailedforCastile.Astheviceroyslieutenantandgovernorof theislands,hebroughtthosewickedmentotrial,andtheircrimehavingbeenestablished,hecausedthemtobepubliclyburnedat thestake.However,guarionexandhispeoplepersistedintheirevildesignof killingalltheChristiansonthe

Credo, y lomismo aprendieronmuchos de su casa; y todaslasmaanas deca sus oraciones y hacia que las dijesen dosvecesaldalosdesucasa.Perodespusseenojoyabandonosubuenpropsito, por culpadeotrosprincipales de aquellatierra,loscualeslereprendanporquedeseabaobedecerlaleyde los cristianos, siendoas que los cristianos eranmalvadosy se haban apoderado de sus tierras por la fuerza. Por esole aconsejaban que no se ocupara ms de las cosas de loscristianos,sinoqueseconcertasenyconjurasenparamatarlos,puestoquenopodansatisfacerlosyhabanresueltonohacerenmodoalgunoloqueellosquieren.debidoaqueseapartodesubuenpropsito,nosotros,viendoqueseapartabaydejabaloquelehabamosenseado,resolvimosmarcharnoseirdondemejor fruto pudiramos obtener, enseando a los indios yadoctrinndolosenlascosasdelafe.yasnosfuimosaotrocaciqueprincipal,quenosmostrababuenavoluntaddiciendoquequerasercristiano.ElcualcaciquesellamabaMabiatu.

Capitulo XXV {BIS}: Como Partimos para Ir al Pas de Dicho Mabiatu, Esto Es, Yo, Fray Ramn Pan, Pobre Ermitao, Fray Juan de Borgoa, de la Orden de San Francisco, y Juan Mateo, el Primero que Recibi El Agua del Santo Bautismo en la Isla Espaola

AlsegundodaquepartimosdelpuebloyresidenciadeguarionexparairaotrocaciquellamadoMabiatu,lagentedeguarionexedificabaunacasajuntoaladoratorio,elcualdejamosalgunas imgenesante lascualessearrodillasenyorasenyseconsolasenloscatecmenos,queeranlamadre,loshermanosylosparientesdelmencionadoJuanMateo,elprimercristiano,a los que se juntaron otros siete; y despus todos los de sucasasehicieroncristianos,ypreservaronensubuenpropsitosegnnuestrafe.demodoquetodalareferidafamiliaquedabapara guardar dicho adoratorio y algunas heredades que yohaba labrado o hecho labrar. y, habiendo quedado aquellosencustodiadedichoadoratorio,alsegundodadespusdequehubimos partido para ir al sobredichoMabiatu, fueron seishombres al adoratorio, que dichos catecmenos, en numerode siete, tenan bajo custodia, y pormandato deguarionexles dijeron que tomasen aquellas imgenes que fray Ramnhabadejado al cuidadode los sobredichos catecmenos, lasdestrozasenyrompiesen,puesfrayRamnysuscompaerossehabanmarchado,ynosabranquienlohabahecho.Porquelosseiscriadosdeguarionexquefueronall,encontraronalosseismuchachosquecustodiabaneloratorio,temiendoloque

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dayassignedforthemtopaytheirtributeof gold.Theconspiracybeingdiscovered,theyweremadeprisonersontheverydaysetfortheirrevolt.yetsomeperseveredintheirdesign,killingfourmenandJuanMatthew,thechief clerk,andhisbrotherAntonio, who had been baptized. Then thoserebels ran to the place where they had hiddenthe images and broke them to pieces. Severaldayslatertheownerof thefieldwenttodigupsomeyams(whicharerootsthatlookliketurnipsor radishes), and in theplacewhere the imageshad been buried two or three yams had growntogetherintheshapeof across.Thiscrosswasfoundbythemotherof guarionex--theworstwomanIeverknewinthoseparts.Sheregardeditasagreatmiracle,sayingtothegovernorof thefortof Concepcin,godcausedthiswondertoappearintheplacewheretheimageswerefound,forreasonsknownonlytoHimself.

Let me now tell how the first Indians toreceivebaptismweremadeChristians,andwhatisrequiredtomakethemallChristians.Truly,thisaislandhasgreatneedof menwhowillpunishthoseIndian lordswhowillnot let theirpeoplereceive instruction in the Holy Catholic Faith;forthosepeoplecannotstanduptotheirlords.Ispeakwithauthority,forIhavewornmyself outinseekingtolearnthetruthaboutthismatter.ButallthisisclearfromwhatIhavealreadysaid:Awordtothewiseissufficient.ThefirstChristiansonEspaola,then,werethoseIhavementioned,namely,yavauvariandseventeenpersonsof hishousehold,allof whombecameChristiansmerelybybeingtaughtthattherewasagodwhomadeall things and createdHeaven and earth.Therewasnoneedforfurtherdiscussionorinstruction,sowelldisposedweretheytothefaith.Butwithothers force and craft arenecessary, forwe arenotallof thesamenature.WhereasthoseIspokeof madeagoodbeginningandabetterend,thereareotherswhobeginwellandafterwardsmockwhatwas taught them:Such require theuseof forceandpunishment.

The first Indian to receive baptism onEspaola was Juan Matthew, baptized on thefeast day of St.Matthew the Evangelist in theyear of 1496, and followed in baptism by allthemembers of his household.More progresswouldbemade if therewere clergy to instructthem in the Holy Catholic Faith, and peopletohold them incheck.And if I amaskedwhyI think this business so easy, I shall say that Iknow it by experience, especially in the personof the principal cacique, named Mahuviativir,who for threeyearsnowhascontinued tobea

despus sucedi.y losmuchachos, as adoctrinados, dijeronquenoqueranqueentrasen;masellosentraronalafuerza,ytomaronlasimgenesyselasllevaron.

Capitulo XXVI: De lo que Sucedi con las Imgenes, y del Milagro que Hizo Dios para Mostrar Su Poder

Salidos aqullos del adoratorio, tiraron las imgenesal sueloy las cubrier