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which it was furrounded. In this town was a large pond of frefh water, 

 which was quite full of fiflies, refembling what we call in Europe the 

 fhad fifh, but enormoufly large, with prickles on their backs. We 

 procured fome nets, and took above a thoufand, which afforded us a 

 plentiful meal. We alfo procured here five Indians, who on our enqui- 

 ry by defcription for our countrymen, readily undertook to guide us to 

 their fettlement, for they at firfl thought that we came to put them to 

 death, and were happy to find that they were likely to be rid of us on 

 fuch eafy terms. 



We proceeded towards a place named Tayafal, fituated on an ifland, 

 the white temples, turrets, and houfes of which, gliilened from a diftance. 

 It was the chief town of a diftrid:. As the road grew very narrow we 

 thought it befl to halt for the night, four companies of foldiers being 

 detached to the fhore, to fearch for a pafTagc. Luckily they took two 

 canoes, in which were ten men and two women who were conveying 

 fait and maize. Being brought to Cortes and queftioned, they faid, 

 that they belonged to the town before us, which was diflant about four 

 leagues. Cortes detained one canoe and fome of the people, particular- 

 ly the women, and fent the others with two Spaniards to the chief, to 

 demand from him canoes to crofs the water. Our whole party then fet 

 out towards the river, and arriving there, we found the cacique waiting 

 for us. He invited the general to his town, and Cortes embarked with 

 thirty crofsbow-men, and arriving there, was prefented with fome tri- 

 fles of gold much alloyed, and a few mantles. They here informed 

 him that they knew of Spaniards being at two different places, one of 

 which it feems was Nito, the other San Gil de Buena Vifta. He alfo 

 learned that many more were at Naco, which is up the country, and 

 diflant ten days journey from Nito, which iaft mentioned place lies on 

 the northern coafl. The general on hearing this obferved to us, that 

 probably De Oli had divided his force, for as yet we knew nothing of 

 Gil Gonzalez de Avila. 



Our whole body having crofled the river, we halted at the diftance 



of 



