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US that the refidence of Guerrero was not far off,, and that the country 

 contained gold though in very fmall quantity, offering to ferve as a 

 guide, if Cortes thought proper to fend a party on fhore ; to which the 

 general replied that he did not come for fuch trifles, but to ferve God 

 and his fovereign effectually. Cortes now ordered Capt. de Efcobar to 

 examine the bay called Boca de Terminos ; and to leave figns on the 

 ' coafl of his having been there, or cruize off the bay, till the arrival of 

 the fleet, for by the defcription given of the harbour, and the abun- 

 dance of game, he was inclined to think it an advantageous fituation 

 to colonize. 



Efcobar proceeded thither, and on his landing found the grey- 

 hound which had been left behind by Grijalva waiting for him on the 

 fhore, and teffifying his joy at the fight of our people ; he was taken 

 on board, and the vefTel then cruized, waiting for the arrival of the fleet; 

 but a ftrong gale of wind from the South came on, and forced her con- 

 fiderably out to fea, fo that when we arrived there, Efcobar 's fhip 

 was no where to be feen. On fending on fhore however, a letter was 

 found, wherein he told Cortes of the ftate of the harbour, and country, 

 both of which he reprefented in a favorable light. We then flood out, 

 and in the enfuing day his vefTel joined us. At this time we were near 

 the point of Pontonchan, the natives of which Cortes and many of us 

 were well inclined to punifh for their condud: on former occafions, but 

 it was oppofed by the pilots on account of the fhallownefs of the coafl, 

 and height of the tides., whereby veffels are compelled to ride at leafl 

 two leagues out at fea. We therefore continued our voyage for the 

 river of Grijalva. 



On the thirteenth day of March 1519, we arrived with the whole 

 armament at the river of Tabafco or Grijalva. As we knew that it did 

 jiot admit veffels of great burthen we feleCted the lighter ones, and in 

 them,, together with the boats,, our troops proceeded*to the fhore, and 

 difembarked at the point of Palmares, which was diflant from the town 

 pf Tabafco, about half, a league. The borders of the river, which are 



covered 



