These Indians
Wore Thick Coats Of Quilted Cotton, And Besides Their Bows And Arrows,
Were Armed With Lances, Shields, And Slings, And Had Their Heads
Ornamented With Feathers.
After discharging their arrows they advanced to
attack us with their lances; but our sharp swords, and the repeated
discharges of our muskets and cross-bows, soon drove them to a distance,
leaving fifteen of their men dead on the field.
We took likewise two
prisoners, who were afterwards baptized by the names of Julian and
Melchior, and became useful as interpreters. On our return to the shore,
we had the pleasure to find that Gonzales had taken care of the chests we
had brought to land with articles for barter, as he had taken them off to
the ships, with the assistance of two natives of Cuba. Near the place of
the engagement, there were three buildings of stone and lime, in which
were several idols of clay in strange unnatural postures, with diabolical
countenances, and several wooden chests containing smaller idols, some
vessels, three diadems, and several figures of birds and fish, all of
inferior gold.
Having reimbarked, we proceeded along shore as formerly, coasting to the
west. After fifteen days sailing with great caution along an unknown coast,
we got sight of a large town near an inlet or creek, which had the
appearance of being the mouth of a river. We named this place St Lazarus,
because discovered on the Sunday of that saint; and we determined to
attempt procuring water at this place, being in much want, as our casks
were bad, not having sufficient means to purchase proper vessels at Cuba.
As the ebb-tide left an extensive shallow, we left our two large ships a
league from shore, and went well armed in our bark and the boats, to a
place from which the town was supplied with water; as so far as we could
discover this country has no running streams. Just as we had filled our
casks, about fifty Indians, dressed in cotton mantles, came towards us,
who all appeared to be chiefs. They inquired by signs what we wanted; and
we answered in the same manner, that we came for water, and were now
returning to our ships. They then pointed to the eastwards, as if asking
if we came from thence, frequently repeating the word Castillano. After
this, they invited us to their town, to which we accordingly went, and
came to some large and well-constructed temples, built of stone and lime,
having the figures of idols and serpents painted on the walls. On entering
one of these temples, we could plainly perceive the traces of fresh spilt
blood on one of the altars. We saw likewise several strange idolatrous
figures and symbolical paintings, altogether impressing us with horror and
astonishment. All this while the natives behaved peaceably, but collected
in great numbers, apparently from curiosity, yet we stood upon our guard,
remembering how we had been treated at the former place. A body of the
natives made their appearance, in very ragged dresses, each of whom
carried a bundle of dry reeds, which they laid in a heap, and then retired.
Soon afterwards came two bodies of warriors, dressed and armed like those
at the former place, each headed by a chief or captain, who drew up at
some distance from us. Immediately after this, ten priests rushed out from
a neighbouring temple. These men wore loose robes of white cotton, having
their long hair clotted with blood, and all matted and twisted together.
They bore vessels in their hands containing fire and aromatics, with which
they fumigated us, and made us to understand by signs, that they would put
us to death if we did not quit their country before the fuel lying by us
was consumed, which they now kindled and retired. The warriors who were
drawn up opposite us, began to make a noise, beating their drums, sounding
their horns, and whistling with great violence. Seeing these threatening
preparations, we deemed it prudent to retreat to our boats, on board of
which our water-casks had been already embarked, and returning to our
ships we proceeded on our voyage.
We coasted along for six days, during which time we had a violent storm
from the north, by which we were in great danger of being driven on shore.
We suffered much also from want of water, owing to the insufficiency of
our casks, and were often obliged to go on shore to sink wells for our
daily supply. At the end of six days, we came opposite a town about a
league from the shore, to which we determined to go, and came to anchor
therefore as near as we could. The name of this town was Pontonchon, in
which we could see several buildings of stone and lime, and it appeared to
be surrounded with fields of maize. We landed, and having found a spring
of water, we immediately began to fill our casks. While busied in this
necessary employment, several large bodies of warriors approached us in
silence. These men had their bodies covered to their knees with defensive
armour of cotton; their faces were painted black, white, and red, and
their heads were ornamented with plumes of feathers. Besides bows, arrows,
and slings, they had shields and two-handed swords. These people addressed
us in the same manner with those of Campechy, pointing to the east, and
repeating Castillano, Castillano; to which we replied by signs that we
came from the east, yet were much at a loss to know the intention of this
inquiry, and whether to understand it favourable or otherwise. Meaning to
remain on shore for the night, we formed ourselves in a compact body, with
sentinels on every side, and consulted together as to our farther
proceedings. We heard at this time a great noise among the Indians, which
we suspected to threaten us with evil; and some of us proposed to embark,
which was considered as too dangerous in the face of the enemy, while
others were for making an immediate attack, on the old principle, that the
assailant usually conquers; but the odds against us was at least 300 to
one, and this council was rejected as too rash.
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