And as we travelled thus for the space of ten or twelve days, our
captain did oftentimes cause certain to go up into the tops of high
trees, to see if they could descry any town or place of inhabitants,
but they could not perceive any, and using often the same order to
climb up into high trees, at the length they descried a great river,
that fell from the north-west into the main sea; and presently after we
heard an harquebuse shot off, which did greatly encourage us, for
thereby we knew that we were near to some Christians, and did therefore
hope shortly to find some succour and comfort; and within the space of
one hour after, as we travelled, we heard a cock crow, which was also
no small joy unto us; and so we came to the north side of the river of
Panuco, where the Spaniards have certain salines, at which place it was
that the harquebuse was shot off which before we heard; to which place
we went not directly, but, missing thereof, we left it about a bow-shot
upon our left hand. Of this river we drank very greedily, for we had
not met with any water in six days before; and, as we were here by the
river's side, resting ourselves, and longing to come to the place where
the cock did crow and where the harquebuse was shot off, we perceived
many Spaniards upon the other side of the river riding up and down on
horseback, and they, perceiving us, did suppose that we had been of the
Indians, their bordering enemies, the Chichemici. The river was not
more than half a bow-shot across, and presently one of the Spaniards
took an Indian boat, called a canoa, and so came over, being rowed by
two Indians; and, having taken the view of us, did presently row over
back again to the Spaniards, who without any delay made out about the
number of twenty horsemen, and embarking themselves in the canoas, they
led their horses by the reins, swimming over after them; and being come
over to that side of the river where we were, they saddled their
horses, and being mounted upon them, with their lances charged, they
came very fiercely running at us. Our captain, Anthony Goddard, seeing
them come in that order, did persuade us to submit and yield ourselves
unto them, for being naked, as we at this time were, and without
weapon, we could not make any resistance - whose bidding we obeyed; and
upon the yielding of ourselves, they perceived us to be Christians, and
did call for more canoas, and carried us over by four and four in a
boat; and being come on the other side, they understanding by our
captain how long we had been without meat, imparted between two and two
a loaf of bread made of that country wheat, which the Spaniards called
maize, of the bigness of one of our halfpenny loaves, which bread is
named in the Indian tongue clashacally.
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