The People Here, Who Were Better
Clothed Than In Any Other Place, Had Crosses Which They Worshipped, And
Set Upon
The tombs of their dead, whence it appeared as if they had
formerly been in the faith of Christ; and
Some suppose that this had been
the situation of the _seven cities_. In this expedition they were upon
the north coast of Jucutan, being the first discovery of New Spain, or
Mexico; and they returned thence to Cuba with some samples of gold, and
some prisoners.
In the year 1518[29], Lopez Suares commanded Don John de Silveira to go
and make peace with the Maldive islands, which he did accordingly. From
thence Silveira went to the city of Chatigam, or Chittigong, on one of
the mouths of the Ganges, under the tropic of Cancer; for it is to be
noted, that this river, and the Indus, which lies 100 leagues beyond Diu,
and the river of Canton in China, all fall into the sea under one
parallel of latitude. Although, before this period, Fernando Perez had
been commanded to sail to Bengal, yet Silveira must be looked upon as the
actual discoverer of that country; for he went as captain-general, and
remained there long, making himself acquainted with the manners of the
people, and the commodities of the country.
In the same year 1518[30], Diego Velasquez, governor of the island of
Cuba, dispatched his nephew, John de Grisalva, on the first of May, with
four ships and two hundred soldiers, to discover Jucutan.
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