About the deer to be found on the Mainland, and the fallow and roe deer similar to those of Spain.

Translated by Kendal  Simmons ‘23

In many parts of the Mainland, as well as in the governorate of Castilla del Oro, Venezuela, Santa Marta, Veragua, Honduras, New Spain, the southern coast, and New Castile, there are many deer, fallow deer, and roe deer that are neither bigger nor smaller than those of Castile. The highest-ranking and leading Indians are great hunters as they chase, hunt, and kill these deer with spears, thrashings, arrows, and traps, among other ways. They pride themselves on having the heads of these animals in their plazas and homes, especially in the province of Nicaragua. There, they take long, thick reeds (which are found in that land) and they place the heads of these animals, with their horns, on each reed as a demonstration of might. In Nicaragua, those deer are called maçat and they are not very nimble since they are accustomed to living in peace and react slowly. And, despite the Indians and the men who hunt them, there are so many deer that they cannot be depleted nor pursued relentlessly to the point where they become exhausted or frightened away. There are islands in the gulf of Orotiña, and all of them have deer.

All this venison makes for very good meat during any time of the year, especially in this province of Nicaragua and in León de Nagrando, which is the principal city of that governorate. The Spanish make very nice footwear from the hide of this animal, such as shoes and laced boots, as well as sword sheaths and leather for the backs of sitting chairs and for horse-riding saddles. They make the soles of shoes from the same material, which last a long while if they do not get wet.