Of the round balls, like those used for lombard cannons, that nature produces in Cuba or Fernandina.

Translated by Isabella Perez ’21

There is a valley on the island of Cuba that extends almost three leagues and sits between two sierras or mountains. This valley is full of very round rocks, like lombard cannon balls, smooth like pebbles, and of a very strong rock type, such that with no artifice they could they be made more alike and round, each according to its nature. And there are some the size of long gun bullets or smaller, and from there growing more and more in size; there are those as large as could be desired for any artillery, even for a gun that requires a hundredweight shot, two hundredweight or even larger, or of any size one could want them. One can find these rocks all throughout the valley, as if it were a mine of them, and one may unearth them just by digging, according to what is wanted or needed; many of them lie likewise upon the surface of the land, and especially along the river they call Venta del Contramaestre, which runs fifteen leagues from the city of Santiago, going to the village of San Salvador of Bayamo through the western route. And because earlier mention was made of the pitch mine found in the island of Cuba and I want the reader to remain better informed of it, read the following chapter.