"That, After Having Passed So Great An
Extent Of Sea, He Could Not Possibly Return Without Executing The Orders
Of
His sovereign, which were to wait upon the great Montezuma in person,
and to communicate to him matters of great
Importance which he was
commanded to deliver." The ambassadors replied, that they would convey his
message to their sovereign, but gave no hopes of bringing back a
favourable answer. Cortes made up a second present for Montezuma out of
our small means, consisting of a Venice drinking glass, curiously gilt and
ornamented with figures, three fine shirts, and some other articles of
European manufacture, with which the ambassadors returned to Mexico,
leaving Quitlalpitoc, as formerly, to supply our camp with provisions.
As the uninhabited sand banks on which we were encamped were much infested
with mosquitos, and seemed unfit for a settlement, Cortes sent Francisco
de Montejo with two small ships, to examine the coast in search of a port
in a better situation for a colony. He accordingly proceeded along the
coast as far as the river of Panuco, which the currents prevented him from
passing, and on his return he reported that the only place he could find
for the purpose, was a town or fortress called Quiabuistlan[9], twelve
leagues from St Juan de Ulua, near which there was a harbour which his
pilot said was sheltered from the north wind. This place was afterwards
called Puerto del Nombre Feo, from its resemblance to a harbour of that
name in Spain.
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