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faw there was no remedy he returned to me, and, Captain De Sandoval 

 being prefent, addreffed me with good words faying, ** my dear friend 

 ** Del Caftillo I am fure that you have left fomething behind you on 

 *• the road for yourfelf and our friend here; do let us go together, and 

 ** permit me to fhare it with you." Sandoval alfo faid that he vowed to 

 his God he had not fo much as a handful of maiz. When thus ap- 

 plied to I could not refufe them. "Well," faid I, "when the 

 *' foldiers are all afleep, come with me, and take fhares of what I pro- 

 vided for myfelf and thofe with me ;" which was, twelve loads of 

 maiz, twenty fowls, three jars of honey, fruits, and fait; I had alfo 

 fome women to make bread. They both thanked and embraced me, 

 and fo we efcaped famine for this time. Cortes enquired how the reve- 

 rend fathers had fared, but there was no caufe of apprehenfion for 

 them, as each foldier gave them a portion of what he had obtained. 

 Such are the hardfhips attendant upon expeditions in unexplored coun- 

 tries ! our general, feared as he was by the foldiers, had his provifions 

 pillaged, and was in danger of ftarving, and Captain De Sandoval 

 would not truft any one, but went himfelf to get his ration from me. 

 On continuing our march, when v/e had advanced about a league from 

 the river, we came to thofe defperate trembling marflics. Here our hor- 

 fes were near being all fmothered ; but as the diftance was not above 

 half a bow (hot between the firm ground on each fide, we contrived to 

 draw them through it by main force, and when we had gotten acrols, 

 after returning thanks to God, Cortes fent to Gueyacala for a frefli fup- 

 ply of provifions, of which he took care not to be plundered as on the 

 former occafion, and on the enfuing day the whole of onr party arrived, 

 at an early hour, in the town of Gueyacala, where the chiefs attended, 

 and had made ample preparations for our reception. 



Cortes, having done whatever was necefiary to conciliate the good 

 will of thefe people, enquired of them relative to his future march, and 

 alfo, if they had ever received any intelligence of fhips being on the 

 coaft, or of any fettlement of Europeans there. They told him, that 

 at the diftance of eight days journey there were many men with beards 



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