On This Occasion Our Whole
Intercourse Was By Signs, As Our Interpreters From Cotoche In Yucutan,
Did Not Understand The Mexican Language.
Our friendly reception being
reported to Grijalva, he immediately landed with all the rest of the
soldiers, and on
His rank being made known to the Indians, he was treated
with extraordinary respect, which he returned with much politeness,
ordering beads and cut glass to be distributed among them, and expressing
a desire to obtain gold in return. On this occasion he procured gold in
various articles of workmanship, to the value of 15,000 crowns. On this
occasion, also, he made a formal act of possession of these territories
for his majesty, under the governor of Cuba; and, having distributed some
European shirts among the principal natives, we all returned on board. We
were accompanied by one of the natives, who was baptized by the name of
Francisco, whom I saw settled and married at the town of Santa Fe, after
the conquest of Mexico.
After remaining six days at this place, we proceeded along the coast,
passing a low island about three leagues from the main which we named
Isla blanca, or the White Island. About a league and a half farther on,
we came to a larger island, where Grijalva landed with a party of soldiers.
On this island there were two well constructed buildings of stone and lime,
having each steps to ascend to the top, on each of which there was an
altar placed before certain hideous idols, where were also the bodies of
five miserable persons who had been sacrificed the night before, having
their hearts cut out, their limbs separated from their bodies, and their
blood sprinkled on the walls and altars. We named this Isla de los
Sacrificios, or Sacrifice Island. We landed on the coast opposite to this
island, where we built huts for ourselves and remained for some days,
expecting the natives to trade with us for gold. Many of them came to
visit us, but they brought very little of that metal, and seemed very shy
and timid, on which account we reimbarked and continued our voyage.
When we arrived at that part of the coast which is opposite the island of
St Juan de Ulua, where Vera Cruz now stands, we lodged ourselves in
huts on the sand hills, having discovered good anchorage at this place,
defended from the north winds. Grijalva, with about thirty of us, went
over to examine the island, where we found a temple containing a large and
hideous image of a god called Tezcatepuca[4]. We found at this place
four Indian priests in long black mantles, like Dominicans, who had that
day sacrificed two boys, offering up their hearts to that accursed idol.
They offered to perfume us with their incense pots, but we were completely
disgusted at the horrible cruelty of their sacrifices, and rejected their
proferred compliment with horror. Our interpreter, who seemed a person of
intelligence, being questioned as to the reason of immolating these human
victims, said that it was done by order of the Indians of Culva or
Culchua[5], by which he meant the Mexicans. As he pronounced the word
Ulua, we named the island St Juan de Ulua, which it still bears;
partly in compliment to Juan de Grijalva, and partly because this happened
to be St John's Day. We remained seven days at this place, terribly
distressed by mosquitos, during which time we procured an inconsiderable
quantity of gold from the natives. Being now quite satisfied that the land
we were on was part of the continent, our wounded men declining in their
health, our number being too small for attempting to establish a colony,
and our bread growing bad; it was determined to send Alvarado to Cuba for
a reinforcement, as Grijalva was exceedingly desirous of making a
settlement on the coast, always shewing himself a most valiant officer,
quite contrary to what might be supposed from the aspersions thrown upon
his character and conduct by Gomara. In consequence of this determination,
Alvarado was sent to Cuba with an account of all our proceedings, and in
the mean time we determined to extend our discoveries as far as possible.
From the time that our expedition left Cuba, Velasquez was always
exceeding anxious about our success, and at length became so uneasy that
he sent a vessel in search of us, commanded by a gallant officer named
Christopher de Oli; who, after sailing for some time in our track, had his
ship so much injured in a storm, that he was under the necessity of
returning to Cuba without being able to procure any intelligence
respecting us. This disappointment added greatly to the anxiety of
Velasquez, from which he was relieved by the arrival of Alvarado. The
display of gold which he produced astonished the governor and all who saw
it; and Alvarado was feasted and honoured above measure, as the bearer of
such agreeable tidings. The fame of the new and wealthy country which we
had discovered was soon spread abroad and blazoned among the islands, and
even reached to Castile.
After the departure of Alvarado, we continued our progress of discovery
along the coast, and passing the mountains of Tusta and Tuspa, we
approached the province of Panuco, which is full of populous towns three
or four leagues from the coast. Farther on, we arrived at the River of
Canoes, so named from the following incident. While at anchor off its
mouth, ten canoes full of Indians made a sudden attack on our smallest
ship, which Alonzo de Avila commanded, and cut her cable for the purpose
of carrying her off, although the people in that ship made a very gallant
defence. But on receiving assistance from the other ships, the enemy was
beat off with considerable loss. Proceeding farther along the coast, we
came to a very bold cape, which our pilot believed we were unable to
weather, on account of a violent adverse current.
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