Pilots Were Appointed For All The Ships, Night
Signals Were Agreed Upon, And Every Captain Received A Copy Of The Sailing
Orders And Instructions.
All things being properly regulated, and having
taken a friendly leave of the natives, who promised to take great care of
the altar and crucifix, and presented Cortes with some fowls and honey, we
set sail from the island of Cozumel, in the beginning of March 1519.
When
we had only proceeded a few hours on our voyage, we learned by a
signal-gun that the ship of Juan de Escalente, in which the bread of the
whole fleet was embarked, was in imminent danger, having sprung a leak.
This forced us to return to Cozumel, where the Indians gave us every
assistance, bringing their canoes to take out the lading of the vessel;
and we had the satisfaction to find, that so far from injuring our altar
and crucifix, they had placed incense before them.
On hearing of our return to Cozumel, the Indian messengers and Aguilar
hired a canoe in which they crossed the gulf and joined us. Aguilar on his
arrival was hardly to be distinguished from one of the natives, his colour
was so dark, and he was even marked like them, being dressed in some old
rags on his shoulders and round his waist, carrying an oar or paddle in
his hand, and the remnant of an old prayer-book tied in a bundle on his
back. He had almost forgot the use of his native tongue, and in coming
into the presence of the general, he squatted down on his hams like his
companions, so that no one knew which was the Spaniard. At length
announcing himself, he was provided with proper clothes, and gave the
following account of himself. He was a native of Ecija, and had been
ordained for the church; but had been wrecked eight years before, while on
a voyage from Darien to Hispaniola. He and his companions endeavoured to
reach Cuba or Jamaica in their boat, but were drifted by the current on
the coast, where the chiefs of the country had reduced them to slavery.
Many had been sacrificed, others had died of disease, and two women who
were with them had soon sunk under hard labour. Aguilar had at one time
been doomed to be sacrificed, but had made his escape to a cacique with
whom he had remained ever since, and of the whole who had escaped from the
wreck, he and Guerrero were only now alive. He knew little of the country,
having never been farther than four leagues from the coast, being employed
in procuring wood and water, and digging in the maize fields. He said that
Guerrero exactly resembled the Indians, by whom he was considered as a
brave man; and that, about a year before[5], when three ships were on the
coast, he had planned the attack on the Spaniards, and even led the Indian
warriors in person; on which account Cortes regretted much that he had not
been able to get hold of him.
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