( 88 ) 



into the woods and made a ftolen march back, reaching about midnight 

 the rivulet where we had left our four companions. Here we concealed 

 ourfelves, and early in the morning our foldiers who were in difguife 

 went down upon the fliore, and made figns to thofe on board the veflel, 

 in confequence of which a boat put off with fix failors, two of whom 

 landed with cafks for water. Our four men pretended that they were 

 wafhing their hands, and holding down their faces endeavoured to 

 avoid being obferved, but thofe in the boat calling to them, one of ours 

 replied, defiring them to come on fliore. The ftrange voice gave an 

 alarm, and fufpecfling a trick they made off; we were going to fire 

 upon them, but Cortes would not let us. Thus we obtained fix men, 

 and returned to Villa Rica, without having eaten a morfel during two 

 entire nights and a day. 



