how the gouernour went from tulla to autiamque, where he passed the winter.

the gouernour enformed himselfe of all the countrie round about: and vnderstood, that toward the west was a scattered dwelling, and that toward the southeast were great townes, especially in a prouince called autiamque, tenne daies iournie from tulla; which might be about 80. leagues; and that it was a plentifull countrie of maiz. and because winter came on, and they could not trauell two or three moneths in the yeere for cold, waters, and snow: and fearing, that if they should stay so long in the scattered dwelling, they could not be susteined; and also because the indians said, that neere to autiamque was a great water, and according to their relation, the gouernour thought it was some arme of the sea: and because he now desired to send newes of himselfe to cuba, that some supplie of men and horses might be sent vnto him: (for it was aboue three yeeres, since donna isabella, which was in hauana, or any other person in christendome had heard of him, and by this time he had lost 250. men, and 150. horses) he determined to winter in autiamque, and the next spring, to goe to the sea coast, and make two brigantines, and send one of them to cuba, and the other to nueua espanna, and that which went in safetie, might giue newes of him: hoping with the goods which he had in cuba, to furnish himselfe againe, and to attempt the discouery and conquest toward the west: for he had not yet come where cabe?a de vaca had been. quipana, fiue daies iournie from tulla. thus hauing sent away the two caciques of cayas and tulla, he tooke his iournie toward autiamque: hee trauelled fiue daies ouer very rough mountaines, and came to a towne called quipana, where no indians could be taken for the toughnesse of the countrie: and the towne being betweene hilles, there was an ambush laid, wherewith they tooke two indians; which told them, that autiamque was sixe daies iournie from thence, and that their was another prouince toward the south, eight daies iournie off, plentiful of maiz, and very well peopled, which was called guahate. but because autiamque was neerer, and the most of the indians agreed of it, the gouernour made his iournie that way. in three daies he came to a towne called anoixi. he sent a captaine before with 30. horsemen, and 50. footemen, and tooke the indians carelesse, hee tooke many men and women prisoners. within two daies after the gouernour came to another towne called catamaya, and lodged in the fields of the towne. two indians came with a false message from the cacique to know his determination. hee bad them tell their lord, that hee should come and speake with him. the indians returned and came no more, nor any other message from the cacique. the next day the christians went to the towne, which was without people: they tooke as much maiz as they needed. that day they lodged in a wood, and the next day they came to autiamque. autiamque sixe daies iournie from quipana. they found much maiz laid vp in store, and french beanes, and walnuts, and prunes, great store of all sorts. they tooke some indians which were gathering together the stuffe which their wiues had hidden. this was a champion countrie, and well inhabited. the gouernour lodged in the best part of the towne, and commanded presently to make a fense of timber round about the campe distant from the houses, that the indians might not hurt them without by fire. and measuring the ground by pases, hee appointed euery one his part to doe according to the number of indians which he had: presently the timber was brought by them: and in three daies there was an inclosure made of very hie and thicke posts thrust into the ground, and many railes laid acrosse. hard by this towne passed a riuer, that came out of the prouince of cayas: and aboue and beneath it was very well peopled. thither came indians on the caciques behalfe with a present of mantles and skinnes; and an halting cacique, subiect to the lord of autiamque, lord of a towne called tietiquaquo, came many times to visit the gouernour, and to bring him presents of such as hee had. the cacique of autiamque sent to know of the gouernour, how long time hee meant to stay in this countrie? and vnderstanding that he meant to stay aboue three daies, he neuer sent any more indians, nor any other message, but conspired with the lame cacique to rebell. diuers inrodes were made, wherein there were many men and women taken, and the lame cacique among the rest. the gouernour respecting the seruices which he had receiued of him, reprehended and admonished him, and set him at libertie, and gaue him two indians to carrie him in a chaire vpon their shoulders. the cacique of autiamque desiring to thrust the gouernour out of his countrie, set spies ouer him. and an indian comming one night to the gate of the inclosure, a soldier that watched espied him, and stepping behind the gate, as he came in, he gaue him such a thrust, that he fell downe; and so he carried him to the gouernour: and as he asked him wherefore he came, not being able to speake, hee fell downe dead. great prouidence. the night following the gouernour commanded a souldiour to giue the alarme, and to say that he had seene indians, to see how ready they would be to answere the alarme. and hee did so sometimes as well there, as in other places, when he thought that his men were carelesse, and reprehended such as were slacke. and as well for this cause, as in regard of doing their dutie, when the alarme was giuen, euery one sought to be the first that should answere. they staied in autiamque three moneths with great plentie of maiz, french beanes, walnuts, prunes, and conies: which vntill that time they knew not how to catch. and in autiamque the indians taught them how to take them: which was, with great springes, which lifted vp their feete from the ground: and the snare was made with a strong string, whereunto was fastened a knot of a cane, which ran close about the neck of the conie, because they should not gnaw the string. they tooke many in the fields of maiz, especiallie when it freesed or snowed. the christians staied there one whole moneth so inclosed with snow, that they went not out of the towne: and when they wanted firewood, the gouernour with his horsemen going and coming many times to the wood, which was two crossebow shot from the towne, made a pathway, whereby the footemen went for wood. in this meane space, some indians which went loose, killed many conies with their giues, and with arrowes. these conies were of two sorts, some were like those of spaine, and the other of the same colour and fashion, and as big as great hares, longer, and hauing greater loines.