( 35 ) 



for this -fervice two light veffels, with twenty crofsbow-men and muf- 

 keteers under the command of Diego de Ordas. One fhip was to r-rna^n at 

 the point of Cotoche for eight days, while the meflengers went and re- 

 turned, and the fecond was to bring the report to Cortes how the 

 bufinefs proceeded. 



The places where the Spaniards were faid to refide, were diflant 

 from the point of Cotoche only about four leagues. The letter which 

 Cortes fent was as follows, " Gentlemen and brothers; here in Co- 

 " zumel I have been informed that you are detained priloners by a ca- 

 " cique: I requeft as a favour that you will forthwith join me. I fend 

 *• a fliipand foldiers, with whatever is neceffary for yourranfom; they 

 ** have orders to wait eight days, but come with all difpatch to me, 



from whom you fhall receive every affiftance and prote(5lion. I ann 

 " here with eleven fhips and five hundred foldiers, with which I will, 



with the affiftanceof God, proceed toTabafco, Pontonchan, &c. &c.'' 



The merchants of Cozumel to whom this bufinefs was intrufted 

 being embarked, the fhips croiTed the gulf, and the letters were in two 

 days received by a Spaniard named Jeronimo de Aguilar, togeihei \vith 

 the beads fent for his ranfom. He immediately waited upon his mai'ler, 

 who accepted them with fatisfa6lion, and gave him his liberty. Aguilar 

 then went to his companion Alonfo Guerrero, and having made known 

 his bufinefs, Guerrero replied to him as follows : '* Brother Aguilar, I 

 *' am married; I have three fons, and am a cacique and captain in the 

 wars; go you in God's name; my face is marked, and my ears 

 *' bored ; what would thofe Spaniards think of me if I went among 

 *' them ? Behold thefe three beautiful boys j I befeech you give me for 

 ** them fome of thefe green beads, and fay that my brother fent thern 

 " as a prefent to me from our country." The man's wife who was 

 prefent now became greatly enraged and faid in her language, " Sec this 

 " flave how he comes to feduce my hufband !" Aguilar perfevered in 

 advifing the other not to lofe his precious foul for the fake of an Indian, 

 or at any rate if he could not part from his v/ife and children, to bring 



F % . thena 



