Chap. III. for the ReduBion 
dition had been lifed in coming to his Relief : The Sol- 
diers landedj and the Cazique prefently came down with 
the Indians^ and feemed to be furprized at the hidden 
Return ; but when they iinderftood the Reafon^ they 
very chearfully helped to unload the VefTel, and after- 
wards aflifted in repairing and careening it, managing 
their Canoes with great Dexterity, and performing fmgu- 
Jaf Service in a Cafe that required it. 
8. While this v/as doing, Cortes^ accompanied by the 
Cazique and feme of his Soldiers, went to vifit the Tem- 
ple, and found the Crofs and Image of the Virgin Ma'ry 
in the fame Place where he had left them, obferving 
withal, to his great Satisfadlion, fome Signs of the 
Veneration paid them by thefe Barbarians' in the Clean- 
nefs of the Temple, and the Perfumes they had burned, 
befides Flowers and Boughs, with which they had adorned 
the Altar. Cortes thanked the Cazique for the Care he 
had taken in his Abfence. The Indian was pleafed, and 
received the Compliment of the Spaniard as if it had 
been an Inftance of his extraordinary Condudl, that the 
Image and Altar had Hood unmoleiled for no longer a 
time at the moll than for two or three Hours. 
Whilft the Ship was refitting, Cortes was told that a 
Canoe appeared making ^vomI'ucatan towards the Hand; 
he came out to view, and, thinking it fell off a little, or- 
dered Andrew de fapia to go as much under the Shelter 
of the Land as he could, and endeavour to take that 
Canoe which made to the Shore behind a Point of Land ; 
four Men ftark naked landed out of it, only their Pri- 
vities covered, and their Hair treffed wound about their 
Heads, with Bows and Arrows in their Hands. Andrew 
de T apia had polled himfelf fo as to come upon the Canoe, 
and as foon as the htdians were landed, made towards 
them Sword in Hand •, three were afraid, and would have 
returned to the Canoe, but the fourth bid them not fear, 
and fpoke to the Spaniards^ faying. Gentlemen^ I am 
a Chrtftian : And, with Tears in his Eyes, afked if that 
was Wednesday ? becaufe he had a Prayer-Book he made 
life of every Day, and defired to know whether he was 
right } He defired them to return Thanks to God, 
kneeled down, and lifted up his Eyes and Hands to 
Heaven, and alfo bleffed God for having reftored him to 
the Company of Chriftians. 
Andrew de fapia embraced him, as did all the reft, 
and then they went to Cortes^ who received him 
with much Joy. The new Comer and his Indian Com- 
panions paid the greateft Refpedl, and couched down 
upon their Hams, laying their Bows and Arrows on 
the Ground at their Right-hands ; then having moiften- 
cd their Right-hands with Spittle, they touched the 
Ground, and ftroaked their Breafts next the Heart, that 
being the greateft Refpedl they paid to their Princes, to 
denote, that they humbled themfelves to the Ground 
they trode on. Cortes being informed that this was the 
way of Salutation, he again bid Aguilar welcome, and, 
taking off a long yellow Robe trimmed with Crimfon 
he had on, with his own Hands put it upon him, defir- 
ing he would rife off his Hams and fit on a Chair. Afk- 
ing his Name, he anfwered, his Name was Jerom de Agui- 
lar^ and that he was born at Eija, and related to the 
Licenciate Mark de Aguilar whom Cortes knew. Meat 
and Drink being fet before him, he took of both very 
moderately. And being afked why he was fo very 
fparing, anfwered, he did it, becaufe having been fo long 
ufed to the Indian Food, that Change of Diet might do 
him harm, whereas taking very little, tho’ it were Poifon, 
there was no Danger. 
He was in Deacon’s Orders, and for that reafon faid, 
he never would marry, tho’ he had been much impor- 
tuned to it by the Indians. The Account of his Life and 
Adventures being too long for that time, Cortes bid him 
reft till the next Day, and ordered his Steward to clothe 
him •, which he v/as not very fond of at that time, be- 
caufe, having been fo long ufed to go naked, the Gar- 
ment Cortes had thrown over him was fomewhat trouble- 
fome. 
The next Day Cortes afked him, before lefs Company, 
how he had fallen into the Hands of thofe Indians •, he 
anfwered. That being at Darien at the time of the Con- 
VoL. II. Numb. 74. 
V' N E w S P A I N. . 69 
teft between James de NicueJJ'a and Nune^ de Balboa^ hd 
came away with Valdibia.^ who was bound for Santo Dd^ 
mingdy to inform the Admiral and the King’s Officers of 
what was doing in thofe Parts, to return with Men and 
Ammunition, and carry twenty thoufand Ducats for the 
King i That when he canie near Jamaica., the Caravel was 
caft away on the Sholes called Caymanes or Alligators ; at 
which time twenty Men, with much Difficulty, got into 
tlie Long-boat, without Sails, Bread, or. Water, and very 
bad Oars : That feven of the twenty Men foon died, be** 
ing reduced to fuch Diftrefs, that they drank their owri 
Water ; and the others landed in a Province called Maya^^ 
where they fell into the Hands of a cruel Cazique, who 
facrificed Valdibia and five others, offering them up to 
his Idols, and then eating them,, keeping a Feftival, 
according to the Cuftom of the Country : That he and 
fix more that were ftiut up in a Pen or Coop to fervc 
for another Feftival, refolved to lofe their Lives fome 
other way, and, breaking thro’ the Cage accordingly, 
fled over the Mountains without being difeovered, till 
it pleafed God that they came into the Dominions of 
another Lord who was an Enemy to him from whom 
they fled, and naturally courteous, affable, and inclined 
to do Good ; his Name was Acquineuz., Governor of 
Xaman Cona, who granted them their Lives, but made 
Slaves of them : That the faid Lord foon dying, he 
ferved Taxmar, who fucceeded him in the Lordffiip : 
That five of his Companions foon died thro’ the Hard- 
fliips they endured, he only remaining with one Gon-> 
zalo Guerro, who was with the Cazique Chetemal, and 
married a very great Lady in that Country, by whom he 
had Children: He was then Commander for a Cazique 
called Nachancam., and, having gained many Vidlories 
over his Lord’s Enemies, was much beloved and e- 
fteemed. 
He added, that he had fent him Corteses Letter, and 
defired him to come away, fince there was fo favourable 
an Opportunity, and had ftaid for him longer than Was 
convenient, and believed he kept away for Shame, be- 
caufe his Nofe, Lips, and Ears were bored, his Face 
painted, and his Hands wrought after the manner of that 
Country, where only brave Men < are permitted to have 
their Hands wrought. Proceeding in the Account of his 
own Adventures, he faid he had endured very much dur- 
ing the firft three Years, being obliged to carry Wood, 
Water, and Filli for his Lord ; which he performed 
with much Satisfadlion to fave his Life, doing what every 
Indian diredled him ; by which means he gained the Aff 
fedlion of them all. The Caiilque obferving that he lived 
chaftly, tempted him feveral ways, fending him out at 
Night a fifliing v/ith a beautiful Indian Girl about four- 
teen Years of Age, who had been inftrudled to provoke 
him ; and he had a Hammoc given him for them to lye 
in. The Hammoc being hung up, the young Girl went 
into it, and invited Aguilar to come and lye with her, 
upbraiding him upon his Refufal, faying that he was not 
a Man •, yet he lighted a Fire, and lay down on the 
Ground by it. The Cazique, being informed of this by 
her, had the more value for him, and trufted him with 
his Wife and Houfe ; which fliews that Virtue is ho- 
noured even among barbarous Nations. Afterwards he 
defired his Lord to employ him in his Wars, and 
contributed to the obtaining feveral Vidories, which 
gained him fo much Reputation, that he was looked upon 
as the prime Man in the Country : And when the Ships 
under the Command of Hernandez de Cordova., and thofe 
under Grijalva, traded on that Coaft, they took fpecial 
care that lie fhould not make his Efcape. The ConVer- 
fation of this Man proved highly agreeable to Cortes., 
and the Accounts he gave were of extraordinary Ufe in 
the Profecution of his Expedition, becaufe they enabled 
him to forefee whatever might happen, to procure Advan- 
tages, and to provide againft Difficulties. 
9. It muft be acknowledged that the Fads which are 
contained in this Sedion are fiir enough from being fur- 
prizing or extraordinary, but however, they are extreme- 
ly curious, and withal highly necelTary. The Fliftories 
of fuch Difeoverers as theft ought to be written for fome 
great End, and with fome important View ; bare A- 
T muftment 
