Page:Narrative of the Proceedings of Pedrarias Davila (Haklyut, 34).djvu/128

80 who happened to be outside the house. The fury of the river having passed, it remained without any water. Presently they entered the house to see what damage had been done, and found a bull at the door of the chamber where the Adelantado's dead wife was, with his horns down, and he would suffer no one to enter; but this bull was never seen more. The mountain opened near a volcano. In this province there are the means of building ships, both timber and all other materials; and there are abundant supplies of provisions. On the death of the Adelantado, the licentiate Maldonado remained in charge of the government.

The province of Carthagena is bounded on one side by Santa Martha, and on the other by Darien. The first governor who came there, after Pedrarias passed by that coast, was Pedro de Heredia, who was appointed governor of the country from the great river of Santa Martha to that of Uraba, for the purpose of gathering the Indians together into towns, and bartering and treating with them, but not for giving them as slaves to the colonists. This was the cause of much mischief, for as no one held them, or thought of having them in encomienda, so no one sought for them, except to bring accusations against them, whereby to rob and make slaves of them. When this mischief was amended, there were few Indians who could cultivate the land; for the country is sterile and unhealthy,—a low, swampy land, with few rivers and little fresh water. The people, both men and women, go quite naked; and they have few provisions, but the fisheries are abundant. The people are the vilest that I have seen anywhere.

The first town was formed at Carthagena, and afterwards a town was founded in Uraba, near the great river of San Sebastian. Another town is established at Mompox, near the great river of Santa Martha; but this has always been thinly settled; for the Indians killed certain Spaniards