278 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



niards, (he would revenge the wrongs which had been 

 done to her in her infancy; but flie received and careffed 

 them with great affection, from the naturally generous 

 difpofition of her temper, which equalled the other excel- 

 lent talents fhe poffeffed. We have thought proper not 

 to omit thofe incidents of a woman who was the firfl 

 Chriftian of the Mexican empire, who makes fo diftin- 

 guiflied a figure in the hifcory of the conqueft, and whofe 

 name has been and is ftill fo celebrated, not lefs among 

 the Mexicans than the Spaniards. 



Cortes having made hirnfelf fecure of the tranquillity 

 of Tabafco, and perceiving that it was not the country to 

 yield gold, refolved to profecute his voyage and feek 

 for a region more rich than it; but as the feftival of the 

 palms drew near, he was defirous of giving the natives 

 of Tabafco fome idea of the folemnity of the Chriftian re- 

 ligion. That day mafs was celebrated with all the poffi- 

 ble forms of facred duty; the branches were bleffed, and 

 a folemn proceffion, with martial mufic, was made, at all 

 which the Indians were prefent, and liftened with af- 

 toni foment and awe. 



This function being performed, and leave taken of 

 the lords of Tabafco, the armament put to fea, and 

 fleering to the weflward, after coafting along the pro- 

 vince of Coatzacualco, and croffing the mouth of the 

 river Papaloapan, it entered the port of St. Juan de 

 Ulua, on Holy Thurfday, the 21ft of April. They 

 had hardly caft anchor, when they faw from the fhore of 

 Chalchiuhcuecan two large canoes rowing towards their 

 admiral, in which were many Mexicans fent by the go- 

 vernor of that coaft, to know who they were who had 

 arrived in that new armament, and what they wanted, 

 and to offer them all the afliftance which they required 



for 



