In place of the almost unbroken forest which they had beheld, in other spots at which they had landed, here was fair cultivated land.

Large groves of spice trees grew here and there, and the natives were working in the fields with the regularity of Europeans.

The Portuguese method of cultivating the islands which they took differed widely from that of the English.

Their first step was to compel the natives to embrace Christianity.

Their second to make of them docile and obedient laborers, raising spice and other products, for which they received in payment calico, beads, and European goods.
The castle, which stood in the center of a small plain, was built of stone roughly hewn; and was of no strength which would have resisted any European attack, but was well calculated for the purpose for which it was designed.