But In This Proposal He Was
Opposed By The Majority, On Account Of The Lateness Of The Season, The
Scarcity Of Provisions, And The Hardships We Had Already Undergone.
We
therefore began our voyage back to Cuba, in which we made rapid progress,
as we were much assisted
By the current; but had to stop at the river
Tonala, on purpose to repair one of our ships, which struck the ground
three times in going over the bar at the mouth of that river. While we
remained here, the natives came to us in a very friendly manner, bringing
bread, fish, and fruit, for which we gave them beads and cut glass. On our
desire of procuring gold being made known in the neighbouring country, the
inhabitants of Guacacualco and other places brought us all they had.
The Indians in this part of the country were all in use to carry small
hatchets of very bright copper, with highly painted handles, intended both
for ornament and defence. These were mistaken by us for gold, and we were
consequently eager to purchase them, so that in the course of three days
we procured about six hundred of them in exchange for green beads. One of
our seamen having procured seven of these, thought he had made his fortune.
While at this place, a soldier named Bartholomew Pardo, happened to go
into a temple on the top of a hill, where he found in a chest some
coronets and collars of gold, along with two idols.
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