z 7 % 



<d M E XI C J. 



Chap. V. 



Milts Philips 

 his Voyage. 



Chilton's 

 Journal 



« 



5. St.Jago de las Valles, which is a Fronteer Place, and enjoyech certain fpecial 

 Immunities, and fome fair PofTeffions alfo for defenc^ of the Countrey againft the 

 Salvages. It is twenty five Leagues diftant from St. SteVan del Puerto, lying in an 

 open or Champain Countrey, and is fene'd about with a Wall of Earth. 



Miles Philips, an Englifliman, put afhore by Captain John Hawkins, in the Bay of 

 New Spain, Anno 1568. fufFer'd great hardfhip before he came to Panuco, from whence 

 returning, he made mention of a City lying along a River of the fame denomina- 

 tion, (which is there not above two Bowc fhoots-broad,) in a pleafant Countrey, 

 containing two hundred ty4wy&Families,befidetheantient Inhabitants and ^JfgroV, 

 which all drive a great Trade in Salt, which is made in Pans Weftward from the 

 River : Philips travelling from Panuco to Mexico, faw by the way the Villages 2S^o- 

 hete, by the Spaniards call'd Santa Maria, and a Cloyfter of white Monks : Next he 

 view'd Mejlitlan, where fome grey Monks had a Houfe, and the Town Puchuen. 



Another account of this Province is taken from a Journal kept by John Chilton, 

 four years after Pbilips's Voyage ; he having & Spaniard for his Convoy, left Mexico to 

 find out Panuco - y in three days time they reach'd the City Mefiitlan , where he ob- 

 ferv'd, that twelve Spanijh Families liv'd amongft thirty thoufand Indians. The Ci- 

 ty built on a high Mountain, full of Woods, is furrounded with Villages, through 

 which run many brave Springs - and the Air about them is no lefs wholfom than 

 the Ground fruitful 5 the Highways are {haded with all forts of Fruit-Trees. 



The Village Clanchinoltepec, four times more Populous than Mejlitlan, belongs to 

 a Spanifl) Nobleman, who built a Cloyfter there for nine Augujlin Monks, of which 

 Order there alfo refide twelve in the City Guaxutla. 



Moreover, they travel'd over the plain Countrey Guajlecan, to the Village Tan* 

 cuylabo, inhabited by a tall People, with blue Painted Bodies, and Pleited Hair, 

 hanging down to their Knees , going ftark naked, but never without a Bowe and 

 Arrow. They cfteem nothing more than Salt , as being the onely Cure againft 

 certain Worms that grow between their Lips. From hence they travel'd to Tarn- 

 pice, in which Journey they fpent nine days ; and coming thither, were inform'd, 

 that of forty Chriflians which dwelt in the fame, the Indians had (lain twelve, whilft 

 they were gathering of Salt. From hence they came to P^»«co,then in a manner de- 

 fcrted, becaufeofthe Mww oppreffing the Spaniards, of which, at that time, there 

 were but ten, and one Pricft. Chilton falling fick here, refolv'd neverthelefs to 

 change that unwholfom Air and barren place for a better ; to which purpofe, get- 

 ting a Horfe, he took an Indian behind him for his Guide, but loofing his way in a 

 thick Wood, happened amongft a Company of wild People, which dwelt in Straw 

 Huts, twenty of them immediately furrounding him, brought him fome clear 

 fweet Water to drink, out of a Gilt Venice GhCs, which having drunk, two naked 

 Men led him into the high.way $ which ended at the Gate of the Wall'd City Santo 

 Jago de las Valles, inhabited by twenty five SpaniJ]) Families, who inform'd Chilton of 

 the great danger which he had been in , for the People which gave him the Water 

 were Man.eaters, who not long lince, had burnt an Augujline Cloyfter, built on a 

 Mountain, had taken away, and eat the People,of which they had in all likelyhood 

 gotten the Venice Glafs * and had they not obferv'd Chilton to be fickly, he had with- 

 out doubt been eaten by them, and his Skin, with fomeof his Hair, (that beinga 

 great Ornament amongft them) been hung about their middle. 



During Chilton s ftay in St. Jago, Fra?ts de Page came thither with forty Soldiers 

 from the Vice-Roy Henry Manriques, and took five hundred Indians, good Bowe Men 

 out of the Neighboring Villages, Tanehipa and Tameclipa, with which he defign'd to 

 go to the Silver Mines at Zacatecas : Chilton joyning with this Company, came to the 



great, 



