Even to the last, I could not convince the Indians that we were of the Christians...

who must be obeyed and served,

the Indians being ever diligent to bring us all they could.

and given them to the Christians,

they neither hailed me nor drew near to make an inquiry...

so strangely habited as I was

they must be won by kindness, which is a way certain, and no other is.

but preferred to die rather than live in dread of such cruel usage as they received

they looked as though they would willingly die.

The sight was one of infinite pain to us

hearing more of Christians.

we gave many thanks to God our Lord

he answered that they came from heaven.

over six hundred open hearts of deer.'

they place their houses on the skirt of a wood, the thickest and most tangled they can find, and near it make a ditch in which they sleep.

When no longer offended and their anger is gone, they return. From that time they are friends as if nothing had happened

until their heat has subsided.

they strike each other with the fists, fighting until ex- hausted, and then separate.

It is com- mon among them all to leave their wives when there is no conformity, and directly they connect themselves with whom they please.

the Indians leave him to perish, unless it be a son or a brother; him they will assist, even to carrying on their back.

in seasons of scarcity, the children were allowed to suckle, that they might not famish

The children are suckled until the age of twelve years, when they are old enough to get sup- port for themselves.

On one occasion while I slept, the fire fell upon the straw, when it began to blaze so rapidly that not- T^-ithstanding the haste I made to get out of it,

while walking naked as I was born.

I was detained some time.

for every day went on increasing his compassion and his gifts.

many came to us that night sick

sat down among us, and from the sorrow and pity they felt, they all began to lament so earnestly that they might have been heard at a dis- tance, and continued so doing more than half an hour.

but when they saw us thus, in a plight so different from what it was before, and so extraordinary, they were alarmed and turned back.

He answered that it was no longer a time in which one should com- mand another] but that each should do what he thought best to save his own life

He answered saying that could not be done, because the boat was far to sea and he wished to reach the shore

They entreated us to go with them, and said they would give us the Christ- ians, water, and many other things

and of more authority and condition than any we had hitherto seen

The Governor replied that he would give up the hostages when they should bring the Christians they had taken.

In the boat

more than forty men of disease and hunger

we knew not how to construct, nor were there tools, nor iron, nor forge, nor tow, nor resin, nor rigging; finally, no one thing of so many that are necessary, nor any man who had a knowledge of their manufacture; and, above all, there -was nothing to eat, while building, for those who should labor...

and could pass out of it only through death,

and that whatever might happen to one should be the lot of all, without any forsaking the rest.

that of the persons mounted, the greater part commenced secretly to plot, hoping to secure a better fate for themselves by abandoning the Governor and the sick, who were in a state of weak- ness and prostration.

Grod,

There were not horses enough to carry the sick, who went on increas- ing in numhers day hy day, and we knew of no cure.

to the place I had visited.

They are of admirable proportions, very spare and of great activity and strength.

com- manded the cavalry to dismount and charge the In- dians on foot.

the people beyond were less numerous and poorer, the land little occupied, and the inhabitants much scattered ; that thenceforward were great lakes, dense forests, immense deserts and solitudes

As we sallied they fled to the lakes near by, because of which and the large maize fields, we could do them no injury

asking for their women and children, whom we re- leased

very cold.

the Gelves

truth

and for some persons difficult to believe, nevertheless they may without hesitation credit me as strictly faithful. Better than to exaggerate, I have lessened in all things, and it is sufficient to say the relation is offered to your Majesty for truth.

and bring them to a know- ledge of the true faith and true Lord,

it might testify to my exertion in the royal behalf.

To me, one only duty remains, to present a relation of what was seen and heard in the ten years I wandered lost

that I should not have to speak in order to be reckoned among those who for diligence and fidelity in affairs your Majesty honors.

but coming in the providence of God and solely by His will.