This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 edition. Excerpt: ...negro slaves and some articles of personal use, with instructions that they be sold, and that with the proceeds a supply of the provisions so sorely needed in the newly created city be purchased; and at the same time he availed himself of the opportunity to write to the King to inform him that the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 edition. Excerpt: ...negro slaves and some articles of personal use, with instructions that they be sold, and that with the proceeds a supply of the provisions so sorely needed in the newly created city be purchased; and at the same time he availed himself of the opportunity to write to the King to inform him that the Crown of Spain possessed one more city in its American dominions. While the letters from Estrada Ravago and the Cabildo (Municipal Council) were making their way over the seas to the Court, hunger (the inseparable companion of the Spaniards on the coast of Veragua) made itself cruelly felt in the city of Castillo de Austria. The moment soon arrived in which there remained no recourse but to do what all the conquistador-es had been accustomed to do in this emergency: search out the Indian villages and rob them of their supplies of food. The Padre Estrada Ravago surely would not have resorted to such an expedient except in the last extremity, for he was a good man and tender-hearted, as on other occasions was often proved. Twenty-five soldiers who went forth in search of maize were attacked by 300 Indians, armed with bows and arrows, spears and round shields. One of the Spaniards was killed and seven wounded, and they were forced to take refuge in a hut. From this point of vantage they were able to make use of their arquebuses and succeeded in putting the Indians, who were terrified by the detonations, to flight. The expedition then returned to Castillo de Austria with the small quantity of maize they had succeeded in collecting, and later, with reinforcements given them by the Padre, returned to the interior; but the Indians had disappeared, after having burned their houses and fields of maize. In view of the fact that the fragata sent to Nombre...
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