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were now madcj he took a diflrid: to himfclf from which he immedi- 

 ately procured fifteen thouland crowns. To Captain Luis Marin he 

 gave Xaltepeque from whence we had obtained the gold. This turned 

 out however very indifferently. He gave me a very profitable diflrid: 

 there; would to God I had kept it! it confifled of three places na- 

 med Matallan, Ozotequipa, and Oriaca, where is now the ingenio of 

 the viceroy : but I thought it more confiflent with my charader to go 

 with Sandoval upon his expeditions. Sandoval called his town Medel- 

 lin, after the birth place of Cortes. The river De las Vanderas from 

 which the fifteen thoufand crowns were procured is the port, and it was 

 here that the merchandife from Caftille was difcharged until Vera Cruz 

 became the emporium. 



We now proceeded on our route for Guacacualco. The province 

 of Citla through which we paffed has themoft pleafant climate, and the 

 greateft plenty of provifions, of any we had feen in this continent; its j 

 extent is about twelve leagues, in length and breadth, and it is very po- 

 pulous. The chiefs immediately fubmitted. On our arrival at the ri- 

 ver of Guacacualco, thofe of that diflricft, -which is the head one of all 

 the neighbouring people, on being fummoned did not appear, which 

 we confidered as a declaration of hoflility, and fuch in fadl was their 

 £rfl: determination; but after five days had paffed, they waited on San- 

 doval with a prefent of fome trinkets of fine gold. By his direcStions 

 they colledled one hundred canoes, in which our troops crofTed the river, 

 after we had firft fent four foldiers to obferve and report the ftate of the 

 people. The town which we founded here we called Del Efpiritu Santo, , 

 which fublime name was given to it becaufe it was on that day we de- 

 feated Narvacz ; it was alfo our word in the battle, and it was on the 

 fame day that we croffed this river. Here the flower of our army was 

 eftablifhed, and it is certain that when we went out to the fquare upon 

 a feflival or review, we muftered eighty cavalry; a greater number in 

 proportion than five hundred now, horfes were then fo fcarce and dear. 

 Sandoval having examined and confidered the fituation of the neigh- 

 bouring diflrids, made repartitions of them as mofl. convenient to the 



different 



