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and we had alfo the further fatisfadion of perceiving on entering the 

 temple, that fo far from having done any injury to the holy altar and 

 crucifix, they had taken care of, and placed incenfe before them. 



The Indian meffengers and Aguilar hearing of our return, joyfullj^ 

 hired a boat and crolTed the gulf to join us. Intelligence of the arrival 

 of a large canoe v^^as given to Cortes, by fome foldiers who had gone 

 out to hunt wild fwine, whereupon he ordered Andres de Tapia and 

 two others to go and fee who and what thefe Indians were, who came 

 to us thus without apprehenfion. Aguilar was not in his appearance 

 to be diftinguifhed from a native, and he had hardly the pronunciation 

 of his own language; his only words at firil were, ** Dios, Santa 

 ** Maria,'* and "Sevilla." His colour was as dark as a native, and: 

 he was marked like them; he had a few rags about his (houlders and 

 waifl, an oar in his hand, and the remnant of an old book of prayers 

 tied in a bundle on his ftioulder. When he came into the prefence of 

 Cortes, he like the reft of his companions fquatted down upon his 

 hams, and every one was looking for the Spaniard. At length, to the 

 enquiry of Cortes he replied, *' Here he is," and then coming forward, 

 he was immediately fupplied with proper clothing. : 



Being queftioned concerning himfelf he informed us that he was 

 a native of Ecija, and had been ordained in the church. That eighfc 

 years before, he was wrecked with fifteen men and two women, going 

 from Darien to the Ifland of St. Domingo, at a time of a certain litiga- 

 tion between one Encifo, and Valdivia. That the vefTel which they 

 were on board was ftranded and went to pieces, and with her were loft 

 ten thoufand crowns in gold. Thofe on board taking to the boat, en- 

 deavoured to reach, the Ifland of Cuba or Jamaica,, but were forced by 

 the current upon this coaft, where the different chiefs had divided and 

 made property of them. Many had been facrificed, fome had died of 

 difeafe, and the two women had funk a fhort time before under hard 

 labour at their mills. He was to have been at one time facrificed, but he 

 made his efcape, and taking refuge with a certain cacique had re- 

 mained 



