THE Spaniards recently settled in Cuba obtained the governor’s authorisation to
fit out a fleet of ten caravels carrying five hundred soldiers, and three
brigantines similar to lightly harnessed horses. They intended to make use
of these brigantines in shallow waters and along the coasts fringed with reefs.
Seven war-horses were taken on board the fleet. Fernando Cortes, at that time a
judge in Cuba, was appointed commander, and with him were associated Alfonso
Fernando Portocarrero, Francisco de Montejo, Alfonso d’Avila, Alvarado,
commander of Badajoz, Juan Velasquez, and Diego de Ordaz. They sailed from
the same western point of Cuba favoured by the same wind that had already
served Francisco Fernandez and Juan de Grijalva.

They arrived within sight of the Isla de los Sacrificios, which we have already
mentioned, where a sudden and violent storm prevented their landing, and drove
them out of their course to the island of Cozumel, off on this island and to
this they gave the name of San Juan de Porta Latina. They counted six towns in
this island, where the only drinking water is from pits or cisterns, for it is
flat and there are no rivers. The island is forty-five leagues in
circumference. The islanders, seized with terror, abandoned their towns and
fled into the depths of the forests, and the Spaniards took possession of their
empty houses and ate the supplies they contained. They found there a number of
ornaments, tapestries, clothing, and beds of native cotton called hammocks.
They even discovered, Most Holy Father, many books. We shall later speak of
these, as well as of different other articles which have been brought to our
new sovereign.

The Spaniards explored the entire island, keeping well together in order to
avoid a surprise. They found few inhabitants and only one woman, through whom,
by means of interpreters from Cuba and three natives of Yucatan who had been
carried off during a preceding expedition, they invited the caciques who had
fled, to return. These natives were servants of the woman who served as guide
to the envoys, and they succeeded in bringing back the caciques. Peace was
concluded and the islanders gladly resumed possession of their houses, and many
of the pieces of furniture which had been taken, were restored to them. They
are pagans and circumcised. They sacrifice boys and young girls to their zemes.
The zemes are figures representing nocturnal goblins, to which they pay
veneration.

The pilot Alaminos, Francisco Montejo, and Portocarrero, who were later sent
with gifts to the King, have been questioned by me. I asked them whence the
islanders obtained the boys and girls for their sacrifices, and they told me
that it was in the neighbouring islands. They traded gold and other merchandise
for them. In fact, nowhere throughout the length and breadth of this vast new
country do the natives busy themselves about money, which is the cause of so
much evil; and it is the same in the more recently discovered countries, among
which are the islands Bia and Segesta. When there are no children they
sacrifice dogs. They raise dogs for food, just as we do rabbits. These dogs
never bark, and have the snout of a fox. Those destined for food are castrated,
and only a limited number of males are preserved for propagating the species,
just as do our shepherds with their flocks. The castrated dogs become very fat.

The Spaniards advised them to renounce human sacrifices, explaining their
odious character. In reply, the barbarians asked to what law they should then
conform. It was then proven to them without difficulty that there is one
God, creator of heaven and earth, giver of all good things, who is unique in
his substance though triune in his Persons. They consented to the destruction
of their zemes, and placed a picture of the Blessed Virgin painted by a
Spaniard, in their temple. They swept and cleaned the temple, washed its floor,
and accepted a cross, bearing the image of God made man, sacrificed for the
good of the human race, to which they offered worship, and they placed upon the
summit of the temple a large wooden cross. The natives told the Spaniards,
through their interpreters, that there were seven Christians in the
neighbouring province of Yucatan, who had been wrecked there during a storm.
The distance separating this island from Yucatan being but five leagues, the
commander Cortes sent two caravels with fifty men to rescue these prisoners.
Three guides from Cozumel assisted them in their search, and the chief of the
expedition was Diego de Ordaz. Cortes carefully explained to them the
importance of their achievement, if they succeeded in bringing back one of
these Spaniards; and he warmly encouraged them, for he hoped that these men
would furnish him with necessary information concerning all that region.

The expedition started under favourable circumstances, and six days was the
period fixed for awaiting their return. Two days in excess of that time passed,
and still the messengers of Cozumel failed to appear; so it was conjectured
that they had either been killed or captured. Ordaz therefore gave them up, and
returned to Cortes at Cozumel. The latter was preparing to leave the island,
having lost all hope of finding both the much desired Christians and the
islanders of Cozumel who had been left behind, but a rough sea delayed him.
This delay proved most fortunate, for a canoe, rowed by islanders and one of
the Christian prisoners, was seen coming from the west coast of Yucatan. This
man was called Geronimo de Aguilar; he had passed seven years of his life
amongst the Yucatecans, and was a native of Encija in Andalusia. The joy with
which they embraced may be imagined.

Aguilar recounted his misfortunes and the massacre of his companions, while the
others attentively listened. I think it will not be out of place nor
distasteful to Your Beatitude, to describe how this catastrophe happened. I
have spoken in my first books of a certain nobleman, Valdivia, whom the
colonists of Darien on the gulf of Uraba on what is supposed to be a continent,
had sent to the Admiral Columbus, Viceroy of Hispaniola, and to the Royal
Council charged with the affairs of the supposed continent. His mission was to
give notice that the colonists suffered from destitution, and it proved an
unfortunate one for him. When off the southern coast of Cuba, Jamaica, or
Hispaniola this unfortunate man was overtaken by a _ tempest in some sandy
shallows, to which perilous shoals the Spaniards have given the name of Las
Viboras; a name which is merited, for many ships have been lost there, like
lizards in the coils of a viper’s tail.

The caravel was broken to pieces, and with great difficulty Valdivia and thirty
of his companions succeeded in embarking in the shallop, destitute of oars or
sails. These unfortunate creatures were buffeted about by the ocean currents.
We have already told in our decades that there exists in these waters a
perpetual current flowing towards the west. During thirteen days they drifted
without knowing whither, nor did they find any food. Seven of them died of
starvation, and furnsished food for the fishes. Finally they fell into the
hands of a cacique who massacred Valdivia and some of his companions,
sacrificing them in honour of his zemes, and afterwards eating them in company
with his invited friends. These natives only eat enemies or strangers whom they
catch by chance, abstaining at all other times from human flesh. Geronimo d’
Aguilar and six of his companions were kept to be eaten three days later; but
during the night they escaped from this cruel tyrant, breaking their bonds and
taking refuge with a neighbouring cacique, before whom they presented
themselves as suppliants. They were received, but as slaves.

A very sad thing is told concerning the mother of Aguilar. When informed of the
fate of her son, she suddenly became crazed by sorrow. She had vaguely heard
that her son had fallen into the hands of barbarians who eat human flesh, and
whenever she saw meat, either boiled or fixed on spits, she made the house ring
with her cries, saying "This is the flesh of my son! Am I not the most unhappy
of mothers?"

When Aguilar received the letter from Cortes delivered to him by the messengers
from Cozumel, he informed the cacique, his master (who was called Taximarus),
of the message brought him by the islanders, furnishing many particulars
concerning the power of his sovereign and the qualities of those who had just
landed: their courage, their kindness towards their friends, and their severity
to those who rejected or despised their wishes. Taximarus was frightened and
begged his slave to see that the Spaniards did not enter his territory with
hostile intent, for he wished on the contrary to have them as his friends.
Aguilar promised to secure him peace and even, in case of necessity, assistance
and protection against his enemies. The cacique then decided to release
Aguilar, and gave him as his companions three of his servants.

Rejoicing at the deliverance and return of Aguilar, whose services as
interpreter would be most useful to him, Cortes left Cozumel. It nowremains for
us to describe the country they next visited, and what there happened to them.