Conception. The third he named Fernandina in honour of the Catholic king;
the fourth Isabella in honour of the Catholic queen; and the next island
which he discovered, called Cuba by the natives, he named Joanna in
respect to prince John the heir of Castile, having in these several names
given due regard to both spirituals and temporals. Of the four islands
hitherto discovered, St Salvador, the Conception, Fernandina, and Isabella,
Fernandina far exceeded all the others in extent, goodness, and beauty,
and abounded more in delicious waters, pleasant meadows, and beautiful
trees, among which were many aloes. It had likewise some hills, which were
not to be seen in these other islands. Being much taken with its beauty,
the admiral landed to perform the ceremony of taking possession in some
meadows as pleasant and delightful as those of Spain in April, where
nightingales and other birds sung in the most cheerful manner, both in the
trees and flying about in such numbers as almost to darken the sun; but
most of them differed much from our birds in Spain.

In this island there were great abundance of waters and lakes, and in one
of them our people saw a sort of alligator seven feet long and above a
foot wide at the belly. This animal being disturbed threw itself into the
lake, which was by no means deep; and though somewhat alarmed by its
frightful appearance and fierceness, our people killed it with their
spears. The Spaniards learnt afterwards to consider the alligator as a
dainty, and even as the best food possessed by the Indians; as when its
horrid-looking skin, all covered with scales, is removed, the flesh is
very white and delicious. The alligator is called yvana by the Indians.

As it grew late, our people left the alligator where it was slain, and
returned to the ships; but being desirous to explore the country somewhat
farther, they landed again next day, when they killed another alligator in
the same place. Travelling thence into the interior of the island they