spot to found a colony. selves in one thing, the district being quite uninhabited. The temples most probably belonged to merchants and hunters, who, on their journeys, most likely ran into this harbour and there made their sacrifices. Fallowdeer and rabbits abounded in this neighbourhood, and with one greyhound only we killed ten of the former and great numbers of the latter. Our dog took such a liking to this spot that it ran away while we were busy re-embarking, nor did we see it again until we visited this place subsequently with Cortes, when it appeared in excellent condition, quite plump and sleeky1."

We had however deceived our

Having completely explored the Boca de Terminos, and discovering that it was a bay, and not a river or strait, Grijalva pursued his course on the west as far as the river Tabasco, to which, in honour of the commander of the expedition, his name was given. Here the natives were more friendly than they had hitherto found them, and exchanges were made of various articles, necklaces of blue glass beads, small mirrors, and green imitation corals being given by the Spaniards for gold ornaments and dresses; but the Indians would take no strong drink, the only ones, the adventurers said, who had refused to do so. This intercourse, which took place beneath some palm-trees on a high promontory, is thus described by Bernal Diaz.

"About thirty Indians soon arrived, laden with broiled fish, fowls, fruit, and maize-bread. They also brought pans filled with red-hot embers, on which they strewed incense, and perfumed us all. After this ceremony was ended they spread some mats on the ground, over which they laid a piece of cotton cloth; on this they put some

1 Bernal Diaz, vol. i. p. 25.

14

GRIJALVA AT THE RIVER TABASCO.

[CHAP.

CHAP. I.

trifling ornaments in gold in the shape of ducks and lizards, with three necklaces made of gold, which had been melted into the shape of round balls. All these things however were of an inferior kind of gold, not worth two hundred pesos. They next presented us with some mantles and waistcoats, such as they themselves wore, and begged of us to accept them in good part, saying that they had no more gold to give us, but that further on, towards the setting of the sun, there was a country where it was found in great abundance, hereby often repeating the words Culba, Culba, and Mexico, Mexico. We however did not understand what they meant. Although the presents which they had brought us were of little value, we nevertheless rejoiced exceedingly on account of the certainty we had gained that there was gold in this country. Having handed over the presents to us with due formality, they told us we might now continue our voyage. Our captain thanked them, presenting each at the same time with green beads. We now determined to re-embark, for the vessels were in great danger on account of the north wind, which, in our present intention, was quite contrary. We had moreover to go in quest of the country which, according to the assurance of the Indians, abounded in gold1."

Having got beyond the boundaries of Yucatan, a brief mention of the further progress of Grijalva's expedition is all that is necessary for the purpose of this narrative. Pursuing his course to the westward, he traced the coast of Mexico as far as San Juan de Ulloa, where he landed and took possession of the territory in the name of the King of Spain. His intercourse with the Indians was of a very friendly nature, and a system

1 Bernal Diaz, vol. i. pp. 27-8.

of barter was established, by which, in exchange for articles of Spanish manufacture, he obtained some pieces of native gold, a variety of golden ornaments enriched with precious stones, and a quantity of cotton mantles and other garments. Intending to prosecute his discoveries further, Grijalva despatched these objects to Velasquez in the caravel commanded by Pedro de Alvarado, who was also charged with the sick and wounded of the expedition, and then ascended the Mexican coast as far northward as Panuco (the present Tampico). But this point was the extreme limit of his voyage, for his provisions began to fall short,-the aspect of the country, whose lofty mountains were covered with snow in the month of June, appeared uninviting, and being moreover doubtful of the nature of the currents in that unknown sea, he yielded to the representations of the pilot Alaminos, and, without even casting anchor or landing on the coast, returned upon his track towards the island of Cuba.

The period at which he arrived there involves a question of some interest; but before that subject is entered upon, it may be desirable to show that by the result of Grijalva's expedition the external form of Yucatan was completely ascertained. Its south-easternmost extremity had been determined by De Solis and Pinzon when they discovered the Bay of Dulce, and Grijalva's examination of the Boca de Terminos completed the western limit. As regards discovery on the coast, the next expedition from Cuba in the following year, under the conduct of Cortes, effected nothing; but the visit paid to the shores of Yucatan by that renowned conqueror is too full of interest to be omitted in any account of its early history.

CHAPTER II.

CRISTOVAL DE OLID SENT IN SEARCH OF GRIJALVA. ARRIVAL OF PEDRO DE ALVARADO AT SANTIAGO.-DISAPPOINTMENT OF VELASQUEZ. -HIS DIFFICULTY AS TO A NEW COMMANDER. SELECTION OF HERNANDO CORTES.PREPARATIONS FOR Ꭺ NEW EXPEDITION. THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY VELASQUEZ TO CORTES.-DISPUTED QUESTION AS TO THE PERIOD OF GRIJALVA'S RETURN.-DOUBTS ENTERTAINED BY VELASQUEZ OF THE FIDELITY OF CORTES.--DEPARTURE OF CORTES FOR SANTIAGO. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS OF VELASQUEZ TO DEPRIVE HIM OF HIS COMMAND.-CORTES SAILS FROM THE HAVANA. THE FLEET DISPERSED BY A STORM.-ARRIVAL AT COZUMEL. -CAPTURE AND PACIFIC TREATMENT OF INDIANS.--DISCOVERY OF A CAPTIVE SPANIARD.-IDOLATRY OF THE NATIVES.-FIRST ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.-GERONIMO DE AGUILAR.CORTES LEAVES THE COAST OF YUCATAN.

THE absence of Grijalva for a longer period than had been anticipated, combined with the recollection of the ill-success which had attended the expedition of Cordova, began to cause considerable anxiety to Diego Velasquez after the lapse of a few months from the departure of the former, and he determined upon sending a vessel in search of him. He therefore fitted out a caravel, under Cristoval de Olid, with instructions to obtain intelligence of Grijalva, and afford him assistance if necessary1. But Olid did not accomplish his mission: he proico, etc. cap. vii. V. Appendix A. (Folio: Caragoça, 1554.)

1 Gomara: Cronica de la Nueva España, con la Conquista de Mex

ceeded no further than the coast of Yucatan, where he encountered such severe weather that he returned direct to Cuba.

Soon after his departure, Pedro de Alvarado arrived at Santiago in the vessel which Grijalva had despatched from San Juan de Ulloa, and great was the satisfaction which Velasquez experienced at the news of the discoveries made by his nephew, and at the consignment of the objects for which he had traded. But this satisfaction was considerably alloyed by the intelligence that Grijalva had neglected one of the chief purposes of his voyage, that of founding a colony in the newly discovered country, without which he could not hope for any permanent advantage to accrue either to himself or to the King his master.

The Governor of Cuba had positive evidence before him of the wealth of the land which Grijalva had reached, but he felt that, even if his nephew were on the spot, he was not the man to whom the command of such an expedition as he now meditated could with safety be entrusted. He doubted Grijalva's prudence and ability, and occupied himself to find one who should unite all the requisites for leading a third and more important enterprise. His thoughts first turned to Vasco Porcallo, a captain of great renown and a relation of the Conde de Feria', but he was apprehensive that Porcallo, who is described as being of a "daring spirit," would, when once at sea, speedily emancipate himself from all control and act independently, thus depriving him of the chief credit of the undertaking and perhaps of all its profit, to which latter consideration Velasquez was by no means indifferent. He would not therefore propose the expe

1 Bernal Diaz, cap. xix. p. 43.