74 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



About this time, too, the adelantado, grieving over 

 the common misfortune of himself and those who 

 had been constant and enduring, but doubting his 

 own fortune, and confiding in the valour of his son 

 Don Francisco, determined to put into the hands of 

 the latter the pacification of Yucatan. He was at 

 that time settled in the government of Chiapas, to 

 which place he summoned his son, and by a formal 

 act substituted him in all the powers given to him- 

 self by the king. The act of substitution is cred- 

 itable alike to the head and heart of the adelantado. 

 It begins with an injunction " that he should strive 

 that the people under his charge should live and be 

 as true Christians, separating themselves from vices 

 and public sins, not permitting them to speak ill of 

 God, nor his blessed mother, nor the saints ;" and it 

 concludes with the words, "because I know that 

 you are a person who will know how to do it well, 

 putting first God our Lord, and the service of his 

 majesty, and the good of the country, and the exe- 

 cution of justice." 



Within a month from the time when he was call- 

 ed away by his father, Don Francisco returned to 

 Champoton with all the provisions necessary for 

 prosecuting, on his own account, the conquest of 

 Yucatan. From this time the door of better fortune 

 seemed opened to the Spaniards. 



Don Francisco determined forthwith to undertake 

 the march to Campeachy. At a short distance from 

 Champoton they encountered a large body of In- 



