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.
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