Page 124
An.1684
Other Islands in Amapalla Gulf.
their Fowls ; the Padre or Frier hath his tenths of it, and knows to a peck how much every man hath, and how many Fowls, of which they dare not kill one, though they are sick, without leave from him. There was (as I said) never another white man on these Islands, but the Frier. He could speak the Indian Language, as all Friers must that live among them. In this vast Country of America there are divers Nations of Indians, different in their Language, therefore those Friers that are minded to live among any Nation of the Indians, must learn the Language of those people they propose to teach. Although these here are but poor, yet the Indians in many o- ther places have great riches, which the Spaniards draw from them for trifles : In such places the Fri- ers get plentiful incomes ; as particularly in the Bay of Champeachy, where the Indians have large Cacao- walks ; or in other places where they plant Cocho- neel Trees, or Silvelter Trees ; or where they gather Vinelloes, and in such places where they gather Gold. In such places as these, the Friers do get a great deal of wealth. There was but one of all the Indians on both these Islands that could speak Spa- nish ; he could write Spanish also, being bred up pur- posely, to keep their Registers and Books of Ac- count : he was Secretary to both Islands. They had a Casica too, (a small sort of Magistrate the Indians have amongst themselves), but he could nei- ther write nor speak Spanish.
There are a great many more Islands in this Bay, but none inhabited as these. There is one pretty large Island, belonging to a Nunnery, as the Indians told us, this was stocked with Bulls and Cows : there were 2 or 4 Indians lived there to look after the Cattle, for the sake of which we often fre- quented this Island, while we lay in the Bay : they are all low Islands, except Amapalla and Mangera. There are 2 Channels to come into this Gulf, one