He Pacified The Indians For The
Present As Well As He Possibly Could, And Receiving Letters From The
Dominicans With A True Statement Of The Transaction, He Promised To Send
Back Their Cacique And The Rest Of Their Countrymen In Four Months.
As he
really intended to perform his promise, he immediately made application to
the supreme tribunal at St Domingo,
Called the royal audience, setting
forth the particulars of the case, and the imminent danger to which the
two fathers were exposed, unless these Indians were sent back in due time.
But it so happened that these very people had been purchased as slaves by
some of the members of the royal audience, and these members of the
supreme tribunal were not so much in love with justice as to release them.
The consequence of this was, that at the end of the four months, the
Indians murdered the two Dominicans, Francisco de Cordova and Juan Garcias,
in revenge for the loss of their prince and relations.
SECTION XI.
Discoveries on the Continent of America by command of Velasquez, under
the conduct of Francis Hernandez de Cordova.
After James de Velasquez had reduced the greatest part of the island of
Cuba, and had settled colonies of Spaniards in many districts of the
island, he became desirous of shaking off the authority of the Admiral
James Columbus, by whom he was appointed to the command, and setting up
for himself. By this time the admiral had been recalled into Spain, and
opposed this project of Velasquez to the utmost of his power; but his
credit was now so low; that he could not fully succeed; as, though
Velasquez was still ordered to give an account to Columbus of the exercise
of his authority, the admiral was not allowed to recal him from the
government of Cuba, unless with the concurrence of the crown. This so far
answered the purpose of Velasquez, that he resolved to fit out ships for
discovery. This project was no sooner made known, than numbers of rich
Spanish planters embraced the proposal, and offered to contribute large
sums for carrying it into execution. Among those who distinguished
themselves on this occasion, was Francis Hernandez de Cordova, a rich and
brave man who had Indians of his own, and offered to go as captain on this
expedition. Having received a commission from Velasquez, he fitted out two
ships and a brigantine, with all necessary stores, and listed 110
soldiers[1]. He sailed from St Domingo, in Cuba, to the Havanna, and left
Havanna on the 8th of February 1517. On the 12th, they doubled cape St.
Antonio, holding their course to the westwards, as Antony de Alaminos,
their pilot, said that the first admiral always inclined in that way,
having sailed with him when a boy. They encountered a great storm which
lasted two days, during which they expected to have perished. After being
twenty-one days at sea, laying to always at night, they got sight of land,
and could perceive a large town about two leagues from the coast. As they
drew nigh the shore, two canoes full of men came off to the ships, from
which thirty Indians went on board Cordova's ship, having jackets without
sleeves, and pieces of cloth wrapped about them instead of breeches. The
Spaniards gave them meat and wine, and a few strings of beads; and the
Indians before going away, made them understand by signs, having no
interpreter, that they would return next day with more canoes to carry all
the Spaniards on shore. These Indians expressed great admiration at the
Spaniards, their ships, beards, arms, and every thing which they had not
seen before. They returned next day with twelve canoes, and their cacique
continually called out conez cotoche, that is Come to my house, for
which reason this place was called Cape Cotoche. After the Spaniards had
consulted together, they hoisted out their boats, and went on shore with
their arms, where a prodigious multitude of people waited to see them. The
cacique still pressed them to go to his house, and having received so many
tokens of peace and friendship, they resolved to comply, in order to take
a view of the country. On coming to a wood, the cacique called out to a
great number of armed men who lay in ambush; when there immediately
appeared a great number of men in armour of quilted cotton, with targets,
wooden swords edged with flints, large clubs, spears, bows and arrows, and
slings. These warriors had their faces painted of many colours, and were
all adorned with plumes of feathers. They gave a hideous shout, pouring in
at the same time such a shower of stones and arrows, that they wounded
fifteen Spaniards at the first onset; after which they fell on sword in
hand, and fought with great resolution. The Spaniards had only twenty-five
cross-bows and muskets, which were well plied; but when the Indians felt
the sharpness of the Spanish swords, they soon fled, having seventeen
killed and many wounded. Two youths were taken in this action, who
afterwards became Christians by the names of Julian and Melchior. The
Spaniards returned to their ships, well pleased at having discovered a
more civilized people than any which had been hitherto seen at Darien, or
in any of the islands; more especially as they had houses of stone and
lime, which had not till then been seen in the West Indies.
They held their course along the coast for fifteen days, always laying to
at night, when they came to a large town with a bay, which they believed
to be a river in which they might find water, of which they were now in
great need. They landed, and hearing the Indians call the place
Quimpeche, it ever afterwards was called Campechy. Being come to a
well of excellent water, of which the natives used to drink, and having
taken what they needed, they were about to return to the ships, when fifty
Indians clad in jackets and large cotton cloth cloaks came up, asking by
signs what they wanted, whether they came from the east, and finally
invited them to their town.
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