( 4t7 ) 



bring ourfelves, without carrying dead men. Sandoval immediately- 

 ordered me and Villanueva to return and bury him, which we accord- 

 ingly did, and placed a crofs over the grave. We found in his pocket 

 a purfe containing a quantity of dice, and a memorandum of his fami- 

 ly and efFe(fts in TenerifFe. Reft his foul ! Amen. 



In about two days we arrived at Naco, having paffed a place where 

 mines have been lince difcovered, and alfo a town named Quiniftan. 

 On arriving at Naco we found it to be a good town, but it was aband* 

 oned by its inhabitants ; however we obtained plenty of provifions and 

 fait which we much wanted. We took our quarters in fome very large 

 quadrangles, the fame place where De Oli had been executed, and fixed 

 ourfelves as if we had been to remain here for ever. In this place is the 

 fineft water that we had met with in New Spain, as alfo a tree^ which 

 at the time of the iiefta, let the heat of the fun be as great as it will, 

 has a delightful refrefhing coolnefs in its (hade, and there feems to de- 

 fcend from it a kind of dew, of the moft delicate nature, which is good 

 for the head. The place is well fituated, the neighbourhood fertile and 

 producing both the red and the fmall fapote, and it was at that time 

 populous. 



Sandoval having obtained poffeftion of three of the principal na- 

 tives of the diftrid:, treated them kindly, and we continued in peaceable 

 terms with them, but the inhabitants could not be induced to return to 

 the town. It was now time to fend the reinforcement Cortes had requi- 

 red, often Spanifh fettlers of Guacacualco. I was an invalid and una- 

 ble to go, and Sandoval wifhed to keep me with him; eight valiant 

 foldiers were however fent, who fet out heartily curfing Cortes and his 

 expedition at every ftep. They had fome reafon, for they did not know 

 the leaft of the ftate of the country through which they were to go. 

 Sandoval took the precaution of fending five principal perfons of the na- 

 tives with them, and gave it to be underflood that if any injury was 

 done to them the country fhould be feverely puniflied. They arrived at 

 the place v/herd Cortes, was, in fafety, and he immediately embarked 



Hhh for 



