naked people to their chief was very remarkable.  On coming into the cabin, the cacique sat down beside the admiral, without suffering him to rise.  Being invited to eat, he took the meat as he had done on a former occasion, tasting a little of every thing, and giving the rest to his more immediate attendants.  After dinner, he presented to the admiral a girdle of gold, somewhat like those used in Spain, but quite differently wrought, and some small plates of gold, which the natives use as ornaments.  The admiral gave the cacique in return a piece of old tapestry hanging which had attracted his fancy, some amber beads he happened to have about his neck, a pair of red shoes, and a bottle of orange flower water, with all of which he was much pleased.  He and his attendants seemed much concerned that they could not make themselves understood by the Spaniards, and appeared to offer them whatever the country produced.  The admiral shewed him a piece of Spanish coin, bearing the heads of their Catholic majesties, which he greatly admired, as also the colours with the crosses and the royal arms.  After having been treated with much respect and attention by the admiral, the cacique went on shore, and was carried back to his town on a chair or bier.  He was accompanied by a son, and by a great concourse of people; and all the things which had been given him by the admiral were carried before him, held singly on high, that they might be seen and admired by the people.  A brother of the cacique came next on board, whom the admiral treated with much respect; and next day, the admiral caused a cross to be erected in an open spot of the town, near the sea, as that where the cacique resided was four leagues off; to this cross the Indians paid great respect, in imitation of the Spaniards.

The admiral took every opportunity of discovering the situation of that place where all the Indians said that much gold was to be procured, and being desirous of continuing his discovery to the east, he hoisted sail on Tuesday night, but could not, during the whole of Wednesday the 19th December, get out of the channel between Hispaniola and Tortuga, nor was he able to reach a port which was in sight.  He saw abundance of woods and mountains, and a small island, to which he gave the name of St Thomas; and from all he had seen, he concluded that Hispaniola was a delightful country, blessed with pleasant weather, and having many capes, and plenty of safe harbours.  On Thursday the 20th, he put into a port between the little island of St Thomas and a cape.  They here saw several towns, and many fires in the country; for the season being very dry, and the grass growing to a great height, the natives are accustomed to set it on fire, both to facilitate their passage from place to place, and for the purpose of catching the small animals resembling rabbits, formerly mentioned, which are called Utias.  The admiral went in the boats to take a view of the harbour, which