and repulsive, and they march into battle daubed with paint, as did the Thracians and Agathyrses.  These natives indeed paint themselves from the forehead to the knees, with black and scarlet colours which they extract from certain fruits similar to pears, and which they carefully cultivate in their gardens.  Their hair is tormented into a thousand strange forms, for it is long and black, and what nature refuses they supply by art.  They look like goblins emerged from the infernal caverns.  Advancing towards our men who were trying to cross the river, they contested their passage with flights of arrows and by throwing pointed sticks; and such was the multitude of projectiles that they half darkened the light of the sun, and had not the Spaniards received the blows on their shields the engagement would have ended badly for them.

A number of men were wounded in this first encounter, but the Adelantado succeeded in crossing the river and the enemy fled, the Spaniards pursuing them, though they killed few, as the islanders are good runners.  As soon as they gained the protection of the woods, they used their bows to repulse their pursuers, for they are accustomed to woods, and run naked amongst underbrush, shrubs, and trees, like wild boars, heedless of obstacles.  The Spaniards, on the contrary, were hindered amongst this undergrowth by their shields, their clothes, their long lances, and their ignorance of the surroundings.  After a night passed uselessly in the woods the Adelantado, realising the next morning that they could catch nobody, followed the counsel of those islanders who are the immemorial enemies of the Ciguana tribe, and under their guidance marched towards the mountains where the King Maiobanexius lived at a place called Capronus.  Twelve miles’ march brought them to the village of another cacique, which had been abandoned by its terrified inhabitants, and there he established his camp.  Two natives were captured, from whom it was learned that King Maiobanexius and ten caciques with eight thousand soldiers were assembled at Capronus.  During two days there were a few light skirmishes between the parties, the Adelantado not wishing to do more than reconnoitre the country.  Scouts were sent out the following night under the guidance of some islanders who knew the land.  The people of Ciguana caught sight of our men from the heights of their mountains, and prepared to give battle, uttering war-cries as is their custom.  But they did not venture to quit their woods, because they thought the Adelantado had his entire army with him.  Twice on the following day, when the Adelantado marched on with his men, the natives tested the fortune of war; hurling themselves against the Spaniards with fury, they wounded many before they could protect themselves with their shields, but the latter, getting the better of them, pursued them, cutting some in pieces, and taking a large number prisoners.  Those who escaped took refuge in the forests, from which they were careful not to emerge.