( 470 ) 



Mexico. I alio heard that the Portiigueze had made prifoiier Saavedra 

 or fome of his people, and brought them to Caftille. 



In the month of May, one thoufand five hundred and thirty two, 

 the Marquis del Valle fent two ihips from the port of Acapulco, to 

 make difcoveries in the South Seas. They were commanded by a cap- 

 tain named Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, who, without going far to 

 fea, or doing any thing worthy of relating, had the misfortune of a 

 mutiny among the troops, in confequence whereof, one fliip, of which 

 jthe mutineers took poffefTion, as is faid, but very improbably, by the 

 approbation of Hurtado himfelf, -returned to New Spain, to the great 

 difappointment of Cortes. As for Hurtado, neither he nor his veffel 

 were ever more heard of. 



After this, Cortes fent off two other veffels, one of which was 

 commanded by a gentleman named Diego Bezerra de Mendoza ; he was 

 of the Bezerras of Badajos or Merida ; the other was commanded by 

 one Hernando de Grijalva. The principal pilot was one Ximenes, a 

 Bifcayan, and a great colmographer. The orders from the Marquis 

 were, firft to go in fearch of Hurtado, and in cafe of not finding him, 

 to go upon a voyage of difcovery of new iflands, efpecially thofe which 

 were reported to be rich in pearls. The Bifcayan pilot, before they 

 failed, was always telling the others how he would bring them to coun- 

 tries where they fliould all make their fortunes. Many were weak 

 enough to believe him. The firft night after they left the port of Gu- 

 antepeque, a gale of wind rofe and feparated the veflels, which never 

 afterwards joined company, Grijalva not choofing to be under the com- 

 mand of Bezerra, who was very haughty. He had alfo another motive, 

 in wifhing to keep the merit of any difcoveries he fliould make, to him- 

 felf. After failing two hundred leagues, he came to an ifland which 

 was uninhabited, and which he named Santo Tome. Bezerro and his 

 pilot Ximines had a quarrel upon their voyage, and the former having 

 made himfelf very odious by his domineering difpofition, the pilot 



formed 



