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.
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