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The diftrid of Cimatan being particularly refra(^lory, and Captain 

 Luis Marin being unwilling at that time to fend a body of troops thi- 

 ther, it was determined that four neighbours, whereof I was one, 

 fliould be fent to try if we could bring the people to reafon. Accordingly, 

 fetting out upon our journey, when we approached the principal town, 

 we difpatched meffengers to acquaint the people with our bufinefs. 

 When we came nearer to it we were met by a large body of Indians, 

 armed with lances, and bows and arrows, who killed two of my com^- 

 rades, and wounded me defperately in the throat. My furviving com- 

 panion after a few blows provided for himfelf by making off to fome 

 canoes by the bank of the river Macapa, fo that I was left alone; I 

 however retained fufficiently my fenfes, to creep into fome bufbes where 

 recovering a little, I addrelTed myfelf to heaven, and implored the aid 

 of our Holy Virgin, befeeching her not to let me die in the hands of 

 thofe dogs of Indians. Then, feeling my powers return to me, I fal- 

 lied out, and forcing my paffage through the natives, giving many good 

 cuts by the way, I made my efcape to where my comrade was in the 

 canoes, with four Indians whom we had brought with us to carry our 

 baggage, which they had thrown away, and which the natives quitted 

 us, to pillage. As it was the will of God that we fliould not lofe our 

 lives on this occafion, we then got acrofs the river, which is very broad 

 and deep, and full of alligators. To avoid the Indians we were obliged 

 to remain eight days concealed in the woods, and from our not appear- 

 ing, we were all concluded to be loft. As was the cuftom at that time, 

 our property was forthwith divided amongft the other Spaniards, how- 

 ever at the end of twenty three days we returned to our town, to the 

 great joy of our friends, and difappointment of thofe who had gottea 

 poffeflion of our lands and Indians. 



Captain Marin nom thought proper to go to Cortes to reprefent the ftatc 

 of affairs, and demand more foldiers. He according^ly fet out and waited 

 on Cortes, who -gave him thirty foldiers, cooimanded by Alonzo de 

 Grado, with orders for the whole body of Spaniards to march for the 

 province of Chiapa which was in a ^late of war. Accordingly we fet out 



for 



