Читать книгу The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne - López de Gómara Francisco - Страница 14

The Indians naturall of that countrey do cal their Ilande Acusamil, & corruptlye Cosumel. Iohn de Grijalua was y^e first Spaniard that apported there, and named it the holy Roode, bycause hee fell in sighte therof on holy roade daye. It cōtayneth ten leagues in length & thrée leagues in breadth, although some say more, some lesse: it standeth twentye degrées on this side the equator, and fiue leagues from the womēs cape: it hath thrée villages, in y^e which liueth nere 3 thousand mē. The houses are of stone and brick, and couered with straw & bowes, & some with tile. Their temples and towers are made of lime & stone very wel built: thei haue no other fresh water but out of welles and raine water. Calachuni is their chiefe Lord: they are browne people & goe naked: & if any weare cloth, it is made of cotten wool only to couer their priuie mēbers: they vse lōg hear platted & bound about their foreheads: they are great fishermē, so y^t fish is their chiefest foode & sustenance, they haue also Maiz which is for bread: also good fruites: & hony, but somewhat soure: and plots for bées, which contayn .1000 hiues. They knew not to what vse wax serued, but whē they saw our mē make cādels therof, they wōdred therat. Their dogges haue Foxe faces and barke not, these they gelde and fatten to eate. This Iland is ful of high moūtaines, & at the feete of them, good pastures, many Deare, and wilde Boares, Connyes and Hares, but they are not great. The Spaniardes with their handguns and crossebowes prouide them of that victual, fresh salt and dried. The people of this Iland are Idolaters, they doe sacrifice children, but not manye. And many times in stead of children they sacrifice dogges. They are poore people, but very charitable and louing in their false religion and beliefe.