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ted each with a
necklace of green glass beads. After they had for some time minutely
examined the ship, the chief, who was a cazique, gave us to understand,
by signs, that he wished to get down again into his canoe and return
home, but that he would come the next day with many more canoes in order
to take us on shore. These Indians wore a kind of cloak made of cotton,
and a small sort of apron which hung from their hips half-way down to
the knee, which they termed a maltates. We found them more intelligent
than the Indians of Cuba, where only the women wear a similar species of
apron made of cotton, which hangs down over their thighs, and is called
by them a nagua.

But to continue my narrative. Very early the morning following, our
cazique again called upon us: this time he brought with him twelve large
canoes and a number of rowers. He made known to our captain, by signs,
that we were good friends and might come to his town: he would give us
plenty to eat with everything we wanted, and could go on shore in his
twelve canoes. I shall never forget how he said, in his language, _con
escotoch_, _con escotoch_, which means, come with me to my houses yonder.
We therefore called the spot Punta de Cotoche, under which name it
stands on the sea charts.

In consideration of all these friendly invitations from the cazique to
accompany him to his village, our captain held a short consultation with
us, when we came to the resolution to lower our boats, take the smallest
of our vessels with us, and so proceed together with the twelve canoes
all at once on shore, as the coast was crowded with Indians from the
above-mentioned village. This was accordingly done, and we all arrived
there at the same time. The cazique seeing us now landed, but that we
made no signs of going to his village, again gave our captain to
understand, by signs, that we should follow him to his habitation,
making at the same time so many demonstrations of friendship, that a
second consultation was held as to whether we should accompany him or
not. This was carried in the affirmative, but we took every precaution
to be upon our guard, marching in close order with our arms ready for
action. We took fifteen crossbows with a like number of matchlocks, and
followed the cazique, who was accompanied by a great number of Indians.

As we were thus marching along, and had arrived in the vicinity of
several rocky mountains, the cazique all at once raised his voice,
calling aloud to his warriors, who it seemed were lying wait in ambush,
to fall upon us and destroy us all. The cazique had no sooner given the
signal, than out rushed with terrible fury great numbers of armed
warriors, greeting us with such a shower of arrows, that fifteen of our
men were immediately wounded. These Indians were clad in a kind of
cuirass made of cotton, and armed with lances, shields, bows, and
slings; with each a tuft of feathers stuck on his head. As soon as they
had let fly their arrows, they rushed forward and attacked us man to
man, setting furiously to with their lances, which they held in both
hands. When, however, they began to feel the sharp edge of our swords,
and saw what destruction our crossbows and matchlocks made among them,
they speedily began to give way. Fifteen of their number lay dead on the
field.

At some distance from the spot where they had so furiously attacked us
was a small place in which stood three houses built of stone and lime.
These were temples in which were found many idols made of clay which
were of a pretty good size; some had the countenances of devils, others
those of females: some again had even more horrible shapes, and appeared
to represent Indians committing horrible offences. In these temples we
also found small wooden boxes containing other of their gods with
hellish faces, several small shells, some ornaments, three crowns, and
other trinkets, some in the shape of fish, others in the shape of ducks,
all worked out of an inferior kind of gold. Seeing all this, the gold,
and the good architectural style of the temples, we felt overjoyed at
the discovery of this country; for Peru was not discovered till sixteen
years after. While we were fighting with the Indians, the priest
Gonzalez ordered the gold and small idols to be removed to our ships by
two Indians whom we had brought with us from Cuba. During the skirmish
we took two of the natives prisoners, who subsequently allowed
themselves to be baptised and became Christians. One was named Melchior
and the other Julian; both were tattooed about the eyes. The combat
with the natives now being at an end, we resolved to re-embark, and
prosecute our voyage of discovery further along the coast towards the
west. Having dressed the wounds of our men we again set sail.

CHAPTER III.

 _Discovery of the Coast of Campeachy._

Continuing the course we had previously determined upon, more westward
along the coast, we discovered many promontories, bays, reefs, and
shallows. We all considered this country to be an island, because our
pilot, Anton de Alaminos, persisted in it. During daytime we proceeded
with all caution, but lay to at nights. After sailing in this way for
fourteen days, we perceived another village which appeared to us of
considerable magnitude. Here was a bay with an inner harbour, and it
appeared to us that there might also be some river or small stream where
we could take in fresh water, which latter had become very scarce, as
our supply in the casks, which were none of the best, was fast
diminishing; for, as the expedition was fitted out solely by persons in
poor circumstances, we had not been able to purchase good ones. It
happened to be Sunday Lazari when we landed, and we therefore named this
place in honour of this day, although we were well aware that the
Indians called it the land of _Campeachy_.

In order that the whole of us might land at the same time, we determined
to go on shore in our smallest vessel and three boats, all of us well
armed, to be ready in case we should meet with a similar rencontre as at
the cape of Cotoche. The sea in these bays and roads is very shallow, so
that our vessels were forced to anchor at more than three miles distance
from the shore. Thus precautious we landed near the village, but were
still a good way from the place were we intended to fill our casks. From
this spot the natives also had their water; for we now found that there
was no rivulet in the neighbourhood.

When we had brought our casks on shore, filled them with water, and were
about to embark again, about fifty Indians from the village came up to
us. They all wore stately mantels made of cotton, appeared friendly
disposed, and to be caziques. They asked us, by signs, what our business
was there? We told them to take in water, and that we were about to
re-embark. They further pointed with their hands to the rising of the
sun, and asked us whether we came from that quarter, at the same time
pronouncing the word _Castilan_, _Castilan_; but at that 

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