On Approaching The
Shore, We Heard The Noise Of Felling Trees, Which We Concluded To Be
Preparations For Defence, And We Learnt Afterwards That The Natives Were
Acquainted With Our Transactions At Pontonchan.
We landed at a point about
half a league from the town, close by a grove of palm trees, to which
place the natives advanced against us in martial order in about fifty
canoes, all painted and prepared for battle.
We fortunately addressed them
by means of our interpreters, declaring that our intentions were pacific,
and invited their chiefs to a conference. On this about thirty Indians
landed, who were presented with beads of coloured glass, and our captain
made the interpreters explain to them, that we came from a distant country,
being the servants of a great prince, to whom he advised them to become
subjects, and besides, that he expected they would give us a supply of
provisions in return for our beads. Two these men, one a priest and
another a chief, made answer that they would willingly barter with us and
give us provisions, but that they had a sovereign of their own, and
advised us not to repeat the unseasonable demand of submission to our
prince, lest they should attack us as had been done at Pontonchan, having
two xiquipils of warriors of 8000 men each: Yet, though confident in
their superior force, they had come to treat with us amicably, and would
report our proposal to their chiefs, after which they would bring their
decision, and inform us whether it was to be peace or war between us.
Grijalva embraced them in token of peace, and gave them several strings of
beads, requesting them to bring a speedy answer, which they promised, and
soon did, assuring us in name of their chiefs, of peace and concord; in
token of which thirty Indians came soon afterwards, loaded with broiled
fish, fowls, fruit, bread made of maize, and vessels with lighted coals to
fumigate us with certain perfumes. They then spread a mat on the ground,
which they covered with a mantle, on which they laid some golden toys made
in form of birds and lizards, and three strings of gold beads, desiring us
to accept these presents in a friendly manner, being all the gold they
could collect, which did not exceed the value of 200 crowns. They added
that there was abundance of gold to be had farther west, repeating several
times Mexico and Culua, words which we did not then understand. We
were well satisfied with this proof that the country produced gold; and we
hastened to quit our present anchorage, as a gale from the north was
likely to happen, and might have proved fatal to the expedition.
Two days sail from Tabasco, we arrived opposite to a town called
Aguayaluco, which we named la Rambla, where we observed many of the
inhabitants armed with shields of tortoise-shell, which the soldiers
believed to have been gold, from being polished and shining in the sun. We
came next to the mouth of the river Farole, which we named St Antonio.
Whence we continued our course by the mouth of the great river
Coatzacualco, observing a distant range of high mountains covered with
perpetual snow, and others nearer the sea, which we named the ridge of St
Martin, as being first noticed by a soldier of that name. At this time
Alvarado discovered a river called Papaloapan by the natives, which was
afterwards called the river of Alvarado, into which he entered, and
procured some fish from the inhabitants of a town named Tlacotalpan.
Grijalva was much offended by the conduct of Alvarado on this occasion, as
we had to wait three days for his return; and gave pointed orders that no
ship should separate in future from the squadron without orders, lest any
unforeseen misfortune should happen that could not be remedied by
assistance from the rest. From thence, after the return of Alvarado, we
proceeded to a river which we named Vanderas, because some white banners
were waved by a number of Indians on the shore, as a signal of invitation
for us to land.
It is now universally known that the city of Mexico is as large as Venice,
and is built in like manner in the water, and also that it is the capital
of a large empire, containing many extensive provinces, then ruled over by
a powerful monarch named Montezuma[3], whose thirst for conquest led him
to extend the boundaries of the empire in every direction. Having received
intelligence of our first appearance on this coast under Cordova, and of
the battle at Champoton; that our force was very small, and that our
object was to procure gold in exchange for articles which we had along
with us, all of which circumstances had been faithfully communicated to
him by means of paintings transmitted to his residence by expresses; he
issued orders, on receiving notice of our second arrival on his coast, to
procure our green glass beads in exchange for gold, as they set great
value on these baubles, not knowing they were artificial; and he likewise
directed his officers to make minute inquiries as to our persons and
intentions. We have likewise been told that he was greatly influenced in
regard to us, by an old tradition or prophesy, by which it was said that
men were to come from the rising sun who were to acquire the dominion of
his country. It was in compliance with these orders, that the officers of
Montezuma were now on the coast, and had made signs inviting us to come on
shore. Induced by the signals, Grijalva sent a party to land, under the
charge of Montejo, the weather being unusually favourable for the purpose.
On landing, we found the governor of the province attended by many natives,
having with them a quantity of provisions, such as fowls, bread, pines,
sapotes, and other fruit. They were reclining on mats under the shade of
some trees, and made signs for us to sit down by them, and as on former
occasions, perfumed us with fragrant gums.
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