Las Casas Unfortunately Agreed To Treat, And Remained At Sea; Partly For The Purpose Of Finding Some Better Place Of Disembarkation, And Partly Induced By Letters From The Friends Of Cortes Who Were Along With De Oli.

That same night a heavy storm arose, by which the vessels of Las Casas were driven on shore and utterly lost, and above thirty of the soldiers perished.

All the rest were made prisoners two days afterwards, having been all that time on shore without food, and almost perished with cold, as it was the season of almost incessant rain. De Oli obliged all his prisoners to swear fidelity to him against Cortes, and then released them all except Las Casas.

The party which he sent against De Avila returned about this time, having been successful in their errand. Avila had gone with a party to reduce the country about the _Golfe Dolce_, and had founded a settlement to which he gave the name of _St Gil de buena vista_; and the troops sent against him, after killing his nephew and eight of his soldiers, made himself and all the rest prisoners. De Oli was now much elated by his success, in having made two captains belonging to Cortes prisoners, and sent off a full account of his exploits to his friend Velasquez. He afterwards marched up the country to a place called Naco in a very populous district, which is all now laid waste. While here, he sent off various detachments in different directions, among which one was commanded by Briones, who had first instigated him to revolt; bat Briones now revolted from him in his turn, and marched off with all his men for New Spain.

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