4 Voyage undertaken hy the Spaniards 



Let him remain with you : cause his hair to be cut off; let 

 )iin) be dressed as a Spaniard ; and remember my clemency 

 on the day when I shall come in my turn to demand pardon 

 tor one of thy people." 



On another occasion he was less laconic, but equally in- 

 genuouSj in expressing his sentiments. The commandant, 

 Quadra, suspected two Indians, Frijoles and Augustin, of 

 having assassinated a young Spaniard. Macuina undertook 

 to be their advocate ; and, having waited on Quadra, he 

 addressed him as follows, after a short preamble, in which 

 he stated the circumstances of the case : 



" I do not believe that you can imj)utc to me this bad 

 action. You have given me copper; I have- received from 

 vou a great many shells for the fete of my daughter. It is 

 from you I received the cloth, jewels, coat of mail, iron 

 instrimients, glass, and many other things with which I 

 am provided. Our nuitual confidence has been carried so 

 far, that we have both slept in the same chamber, where, 

 while you remained without arms and without soldiers to 

 defend you, 1 might have taken vour life, had a friend been 

 capable of treachery. You entertain a niean idea of me and 

 of my dignity, if you imao-inc that I would cause to be as- 

 sassinated a child, less capable of defending itself than a 

 woman. You would be the first whose life would be ex- 

 ])osed to great danger were we enemies. You know well 

 that Wicanatiish * has a great many fusees, with plenty of 

 powder and ball ; that captain Hana has not a few ; and that 

 ooth tliese as well as the Nuchimascs are my relations and 

 allies; and that, united, we would form a number far supe- 

 rior to that of the Spaniards, the English, and Americans, 

 all together. Could we then be afraid of engaging in combat ? 

 Have not vou often been badlv altend^-d, and have you ever 

 observed any thing else than that my subjects flocked round 

 you to give you everv testimonv of friendship ? Why then 

 do you allow your people to speak so disrespectfully of me ? 

 Make known to tliem all, that Macuina is thy real friend; 

 and that, far from doing hurt to the Spaniards, I am ready 

 to avenge the injury done to you, as I conjecture, by the 

 perfidious people of Iticoac. Yon know the strength and 

 intrepidity of my brother Ouat-Laza-Pe, and of my rela- 

 tion Nutzape. Lend nie five or six pcdererocs ; I will 

 dispatch them both, with the most valiant of my Mischimis, 

 to destroy these banditti, and to scour the neighbouring 

 coasts. You may embark such of your people as you think 



* One of the ncighbour'n^ /u/'j, or prirxes. 



propci.^3 



