Theyare by nature the most humble, patient, and peaceable, holding nogrudges, free from embroilments, neither excitable nor quarrelsome.These people are the most devoid of rancors, hatreds, or desire forvengeance of any people in the world. Andall the land so far discovered is a beehive of people it is asthough God had crowded into these lands the great majority ofmankind.Īnd of all the infinite universeof humanity, these people are the most guileless, the most devoid ofwickedness and duplicity, the most obedient and faithful to theirnative masters and to the Spanish Christians whom they serve. There must be close to two hundred leagues ofland on this island, and the seacoast has been explored for more thanten thousand leagues, and each day more of it is being explored. This large island was perhaps the most densely populatedplace in the world. Around it in all directions are many other islands,some very big, others very small, and all of them were, as we sawwith our own eyes, densely populated with native peoples calledIndians. Thus, forty-nine years havepassed since the first settlers penetrated the land,the first so claimed being the large and mosthappy isle called Hispaniola, which is six hundred leagues incircumference. In the following year a great many Spaniards went therewith the intention of settling the land. The Indies were discovered in the year one thousand four hundred andninety-two. Bartoleme de Las Casas, Brief Account of the Devastation of the Indiesīartoleme de Las Casas, Brief Account of theDevastation of the Indies.
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