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THE PASS OF ALABASTER.

[CHAP. IV.

provisions behind, the discovery of which was a source of great satisfaction to Cortes.

The province of Tayaco was next traversed, and after the usual fashion, by sending out parties in front of the main body to reconnoitre, capturing such stray Indians as they might fall in with, and by their friendly assurances disarming suspicion and obtaining guides. Deserts too were passed, one of which, Cortes says, took him five days to cross; the way was rough and infested with wild beasts, and in one place, to which he gives the name of Puerto de Alabastro," the stony nature of the soil greatly impeded his progress. But as he approached the great lake of the Itzaex, the character of the country improved, and the deer became so numerous and were so tame that the horsemen rode up to them and speared them quite at ease. To account for their numbers and tameness, the Indian guides informed the strangers that the animals were looked upon by the people of that country as their gods, for their chief idol had appeared to them in that form, and commanded that the deer should not be frightened or killed. In that deer-hunt," relates Villagutierre, "the horse of a cousin of Cortes, called Palacios Rubios, fell dead, and another horse, belonging to Cortes himself, which he prized exceedingly, was taken very ill; for with the running and spearing the deer, they sweated to exhaustion. But the horse of Cortes did not then die. It would have been better," he gravely continues, "if he had."

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It was now that Cortes, having advanced so far eastward, became anxious to learn if he were approaching the coast, where he expected to meet with Cristoval de Olid; and his inquiries of the Indians, if bearded men 1 Villagutierre, lib. i. cap. 7.

like himself and his Spanish followers had been seen by them, were frequent. At length he received replies in the affirmative; but the position of his countrymen was only very vaguely indicated, and seemed by the words and gestures of those he questioned to be still remote. But whether they were far or near, Cortes had no choice: an onward course was all that remained to him, and with the same patient and enduring spirit that had sustained him throughout this perilous journey he gradually drew near the Lake of Itza, and halted upon

its shores.

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CHAPTER V.

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE OF ITZA.-ACCOUNT GIVEN BY AN INDIAN CAPTIVE OF THE CITY OF TAYASAL.-COURTEOUS RECEPTION BY CORTES OF THE ITZALAN CHIEFS.-INTERVIEW BETWEEN CANEK AND CORTES. OFFER OF CANEK TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN.-FRIENDLY INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THE SPANIARDS AND THE ITZAEX.-VISIT OF CORTES TO TAYASAL.-CORTES LEAVES HIS HORSE IN THE CITY.-ITS DEATH AND DEIFICATION.-DEPARTURE OF CORTES FOR THE SOUTHWEST.-PASSAGE OF THE MOUNTAIN OF FLINTS.-LOSSES AND SUFFERINGS OF THE TROOPS.-DANGEROUS FORD.-SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS. CORTES REACHES THE PROVINCE OF ACUCULIN.-TIDINGS OF THE BEARDED MEN."-CAPTURE OF NITO BY SANDOVAL.-CLOSE OF THE MARCH OF CORTES.

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THE extent of the Lake of Itza was so vast, and its depth so great, that when the runners who preceded the main body of the army first discovered it, they believed that they had reached an arm of the sea; and, although the water was fresh, Cortes himself was at first inclined to this opinion. Having halted his troops at a distance from the lake, he went forward on foot to reconnoitre, and coming up with the scouts learnt that, by means of a dog which was with them, they had succeeded in capturing an Indian who had just landed from his canoe.

One of the great objects of his march being to advance as secretly as possible, Cortes questioned the Indians very closely as to whether anything were known

of his approach; and, receiving a negative answer, proceeded to inquire the best way to reach a large town that stood on an island in the lake, and whose white walls and lofty temples were visible at a considerable distance. The Indian told him that there was no direct approach on that side, but offered to conduct him by another route, as far as a small arm of the lake, to a village where some canoes might be found to enable him to effect a passage to the island. Cortes accepted the proposal, and, accompanied by ten or twelve archers, set out with the Indian, who guided them by the shore of the lake till they reached the inlet, across which they contrived to wade, though the water was up to their waists and sometimes above it. It was impossible however to advance so cautiously as not to be seen by the inhabitants of the village, who, when the Spaniards came in sight, pushed off at once in their canoes into the broadest part of the lake, before their flight could be stopped. Finding that no further progress could then be made, Cortes sent back word for the army to move forward, and encamped them in the deserted village. They did not fare so badly here, for there were fields of maize in plenty, and the lake afforded them fish, though Bernal Diaz grumbles at its quality. Along this township," he says, "lay a freshwater lake of considerable extent, which abounded with large fish covered with sharp prickles, very much resembling the disgusting-looking and insipid fish called the shad. By means of a few old cloaks and tattered nets, which we found in the deserted habitations, we dragged the lake from one end to the other, and succeeded in taking above a thousand of these ugly fish1."

1 Bernal Diaz, vol. ii.

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THE CITY OF TAYASAL.

CHAP. V.

Cortes now interrogated the Indian captive afresh, who, being himself reassured by the amicable declaration of the Spanish leader, informed him that he was well known to the cacique of the island, and, if permitted to depart, would be the bearer of any message that Cortes wished to send; he added, that the name of the cacique was Canek, that the city he dwelt in was called Tayasal, and that the island on which it stood, which gave its name to the lake, was known as Peten. Cortes judged it expedient to accede to the Indian's request, and the confidence he reposed in him was not misplaced; for towards midnight he returned, and with him were two persons of distinction from the city, whom Canek had sent to learn what it was the strangers desired1.

Cortes received the Itzalan chiefs with great courtesy, and told them that he had come to explore their country by the command of his Emperor, on whose power and magnificence he greatly dilated, and that he was desirous of cultivating the most friendly understanding with their cacique; to prove which, and at the same time to induce Canek to lay aside all apprehension, he dismissed them with a Spanish soldier, whom he sent as a hostage and pledge for his good intentions, begging that Canek would himself come to visit him.

This frank conduct of Cortes was met by equal confidence on the part of the cacique of the Itzaex, who on the following day arrived in the camp of the Spaniards, attended by about thirty chiefs, and followed by a number of Zumaguales, as the common people were called. "Canck," says Cortes, "brought with him the Spaniard whom I had sent to remain with him as a hostage, and appeared to come very willingly, and was

1 Quinta Carta, sect. xxv.

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