( 419 ) 



to fend labourers to clear the woods in front of the town, and 

 open the view to the fea. All this being readily undertaken by them, 

 Gortes ordered a number of fows in young to be turned out on thefc 

 iflands, to ftock them, which they did in the courfe of a few 

 years. The reverend fathers Francifcans alfo preached to the Indians 

 many holy things very edifying to hear. The natives applied them« 

 felves to labour fo earneftly, that in two days they cleared the woods 

 towards the fea, and built fifteen houfes one of which was for Cortes, 

 and a very good habitation. The renown of our general made him 

 feared through all thefe diftrids, as far as Olancho where are the rich 

 mines J the Indians called him the captain Hue-hue of Marina, that is 

 the old captain who brings Donna Marina, and his prefence reduced the 

 whole country to fubmifiion, two or three diftrids in the mountains 

 only holding out. Againft thefe, the names of which were given to 

 him by the chief of Papayeca, then a populous diftrid but now almoft 

 uninhabited, he fent Captain Saavedra with a party of foldiers who 

 brought moft of them under fubjedtion, the only one that held out be- 

 ing that people named the Acaltccans. 



As many of the fuite of Cortes began now to fall fick from the ef- 

 feds of the climate, he fent them on board a vefTel to St. Domingo or 

 Cuba, and by this opportunity he alfo fent letters to the reverend fathers 

 of the order of St. Jerome, and the court of royal audience, informing 

 them of all the events that had happened ; of his refigning the govern- 

 ment of Mexico into the hands of deputies, to proceed againft 

 De Oli in perfon, and alfo of his future intentions. He requcfted from 

 them a reinforcement of foldiers, and, to attach credit to his report, 

 he fent a valuable prefent of gold, taken in reality from his fide 

 board, but in fuch a manner that it fhould appear to them the produce 

 of this fettlement. This bufinefs he entrufted to a relation named Ava- 

 los, with orders, on his way, to take up twenty five foldiers, who, he 

 had received intelligence, were left in the Ifiand of Cozumel, to kid^ 

 nap Indians. This veffel was wrecked about feventy leagues from the 

 Havannah; the Captain, Avalos, and many pafTengers perifhed, and 

 Hhh 2 thofe 



