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.
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