6V 



The remarkable recepti- 

 on of twenty three Spani- 

 ards. 



A M E%J C A. Chap. III. 



into the Countrey, telling them, they had onely rais'd thofe few Huts by the 

 Seaside for a fmall time whilft they Fifh'd in thofe Pares. 



About twenty of the Spaniards well Arrri'd refolv'd to undertake the Jour- 

 ney^ and travelling over Hills, Dales, and Rivers, they came at laft into a 

 Village confiding of nine of the foremention'd Houfcs, but mightily peopled ; 

 where they were in a wonderful manner received by their glad welcomes, by 

 Dancing, Singing, Hunting, and other joyful Acclamations, prefenting their 

 Wives and Daughters, as the chiefeft part of their hofpitality, to carefs the 

 Strangers at their pleafure. The news was no fooner fpread, but the adjacent 

 Villages came in throngs to gaze upon, and falute the Strangers, inviting them 

 alio to their Towns. The Spaniards taking it in good part , fpent nine days 

 among them, highly treated with all manner of jollities, but cfpecially at their 

 choice with the varieties otVenm : from thence then returning to their Fleet, 

 accompanied with thoufands of the Natives,every one carrying Prefents to the 

 Admiral Vefputius 5 of whom as many as they could at once receive, they enter- 

 taining aboard, then difmifs'd them, and admitted others . but the Guns going 

 orf, they fuddenly leap'd from the Decks, and div'd like Ducks under Water : 

 But afterwards being informed, that fuch thunder-claps were fent them from 

 Heaven to deftroy their Enemies, they were fomewhat better fatisfi'd, and 

 call'd the Spaniards, Ckarabi, that is, Wife cMen. 



This Ifland lying in the Mexican Bay, in twenty Degrees of Northern Lati- 

 tude, Vefputius left on his Starboard, and Sail'd along a Meandring Coaft 

 (which he always kept in fight) eight hundred and fixty Leagues, and at laft 

 entred a Haven, the like whereof he had not feen before. Here he fpent a 

 Moneth in repairing his Ships, to which the Inhabitants freely gave their affi- 

 ftancej and among other things complain'd, that afalvagc People came yearly 

 thither from an Ifland about a hundred Leagues diftant, who fell upon them 

 with horrible rage, and whomfoever they took they eat, but firft inflicted all 

 manner of tortures upon them, fparing none, but together murthering aged 

 People and fucking Infants 5 wherefore they crav'd afliftance to be reveng'd,' 

 which if the Spaniards would grant, they would follow the Fleet with their 

 Boats. Vefputius promis'd his aid to deftroy fuch a blood-thirfty People ; and 

 to allure them that he would perform his Word, he ordered feven of them to 

 go in Qanoos before and fliew them the Way. On the feventh day they came 

 to an Anchor before the Ifland By , where the Shore was guarded with naked 

 Men, whole Bodies being ftrong and brawny, were painted, and their Arms, 

 Legs, and Head, adorn'd with divers colour'd Plumes, having not onely ofFen- 

 five Weapons, as Bowes, Arrows, and Launces, but alfo defenfive, huge Tar- 

 gets, and fquare Shields. So foon as they judg'd the approaching Spaniards to 

 k a cruel right with the be within reach, they (hot a great flight of Arrow* at them j but Fejputius lying 

 clofe along the Shore with his Ships, hr d upon them with Chain-ihot, which 

 did great execution : yet notwithstanding about forty Spaniards leaping afliore 

 out of their Boats, found themfelves in no fmall danger 5 for the Cannibals 

 upon the found of Horns flocking together, fo prefs'd upon them that they 

 were fore'd to lay afide their Guns, and fall to Blows, and had not timely af- 

 fiftance come to them, they had undoubtedly been all (lain : two hours the 

 Victory was doubtful on whofe fide it would fall- yet at laft the Cannibals 

 quitting the Field, left the Spaniards Victors • who the next day purfu'd their 

 gotten Victory with fuch fuccefs, that they drove their Enemies before them, 

 burnt their Villages and Boats, and carry'd two hundred and two and twenty 



of 



Cannibals. 



