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which were no gods but evil beings, by which
they were led into error and their souls sent to hell. He then presented
them with the image of the Virgin Mary and a cross, which he desired
them to put up instead. These would prove a blessing to them at all
times, make their seeds grow and preserve their souls from eternal
perdition. This and many other things respecting our holy religion,
Cortes explained to them in a very excellent manner. The caziques and
priests answered, that their forefathers had prayed to their idols
before them, because they were good gods, and that they were determined
to follow their example. Adding, that we should experience what power
they possessed; as soon as we had left them, we should certainly all of
us go to the bottom of the sea.

Cortes, however, took very little heed of their threats, but commanded
the idols to be pulled down, and broken to pieces; which was accordingly
done without any further ceremony. He then ordered a quantity of lime to
be collected, which is here in abundance, and with the assistance of the
Indian masons a very pretty altar was constructed, on which we placed
the image of the holy Virgin. At the same time two of our carpenters,
Alonso Yañez and Alvaro Lopez made a cross of new wood which lay at
hand, this was set up in a kind of chapel, which we built behind the
altar. After all this was completed, father Juan Diaz said mass in front
of the new altar, the caziques and priests looking on with the greatest
attention.

Before I close this chapter, I have to remark that the caziques on the
island of Cozumel, like those on the land of Potonchan, are likewise
termed Calachionies.

[10] Palos, a small town of Spain, lying on the river Tinto. This port
produced the best Spanish sailors during the early voyages of discovery,
and here also the expedition under Columbus was fitted out. (p. 60.)

CHAPTER XXVIII.

 _The manner in which Cortes divides the squadron. The officers whom
 he appointed to the command of the several vessels. His instructions
 to the pilots; the signals which were to be made with lanterns at
 night, &c._

The following were the officers which commanded the several vessels.

Cortes himself commanded, in the principal vessel, over the whole
squadron. To the San Sebastian, which was a very capital sailer, he
appointed Alvarado and his brother. The other vessels were severally
commanded by Alonso Hernandez Puertocarrero, Francisco de Montejo,
Christobal de Oli, Diego de Ordas, Juan Velasquez de Leon, Juan de
Escalante, Francisco de Morla, and Escobar the page. The smallest
vessel, a kind of brigantine, was commanded by its owner, Gines Nortes.

Every vessel had its own pilot, who received his instructions, and also
the signals with the lanterns from Alaminos.

As soon as Cortes had ordered these matters he took leave of the
caziques and priests, commended them most emphatically to the image of
the holy Virgin and to the cross, desiring them to pray before it, not
to damage either but continually to decorate them with green boughs. He
assured them that thereby they would derive great benefit. They promised
to comply with all his wishes, presented him with four more fowls and
two jars of honey, and then took leave of us under the most friendly
embraces. It was some day in the month of March, in the year 1519, when
we again set sail; we were pursuing our course with the most favorable
of winds, when on the very first day at ten o'clock in the morning,
signals of distress were made on board one of our vessels, both by flags
and the firing of guns. As soon as Cortes saw and heard this, he looked
over the poop of his vessel, and found that the ship commanded by Juan
de Escalante was making straight again for the island of Cozumel. What
is the matter there? What does all this mean? cried out Cortes to the
vessel nearest him. A soldier, named Zaragoza replied, that the vessel
of Juan de Escalante, laden with cassave-bread, was sinking fast. God
forbid! cried Cortes, that any misfortune should befall us here, and
desired our chief pilot, Alaminos, to make signals for all the vessels
to return to the island Cozumel. So we again put into the harbour we had
just left: we unloaded the cassave-bread; and found, to our great joy,
that the image of the holy Virgin and cross were in the best condition,
and that incense had been placed before them. It was not long before the
caziques and priests again made their appearance, and asked what had
caused us to return so speedily. Cortes told them that one of our
vessels was leaky and had to be repaired, begging of them to assist us
with their canoes in unloading our cassave-bread. This they most readily
complied with, and it took us four more days to repair the vessel.

CHAPTER XXIX.

 _How the Spaniard Geronimo de Aguilar, who was in the power of the
 Indians, came to us when he learnt that we had again returned to the
 island of Cozumel, and what further happened._

When the Spaniard, who was in the power of the Indians got certain
information that we had again returned to the island Cozumel, he
rejoiced exceedingly and thanked God with all his heart.

He immediately hired a canoe, with six capital rowers, for himself and
the Indians who had brought him the glass beads. The former being richly
remunerated with these, so valuable in their estimation: they performed
their work so well, that the channel between the island and mainland, a
distance of about twelve miles, was soon crossed. After they had arrived
off the island and stepped on shore, some soldiers who were returning
from the chase of musk swine, informed Cortes that a large canoe had
just arrived from the promontory of Cotoche. Cortes immediately
despatched Andreas de Tapia with a few men to learn what news they had
brought. As Tapia with his men approached the shore, the Indians, who
had arrived with Geronimo, evinced great fear and ran back to their
canoe in order to put off to sea again. Aguilar, however, told him in
their language they need have no fear; for we were their brothers.
Andreas de Tapia, who took Aguilar also for an Indian, for he had every
appearance of one, sent to inform Cortes that the seven Indians who had
arrived were inhabitants of Cozumel. It was not until they had come up
to them and heard the Spaniard pronounce the words--God, holy Virgin,
Sevilla, in broken Spanish, and ran up to Tapia to embrace him, that
they recognized this strange-looking fellow. One of Tapia's men
immediately ran off to inform Cortes that a Spaniard had arrived in the
canoe, for which news he expected a handsome reward.

We all greatly rejoiced at this information, and it was not long before
Tapia himself arrived with the strange-looking Spaniard. As they passed
by us many of our men still kept inquiring of Tapia which among them was
the Spaniard? although he was walking at his very side, so much did his
countenance resemble that of an Indian. His complexion was naturally of
a brownish cast, added to which his hair 

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