74 The Expedition of H 
and concluded in carneft Entreaties for Peate. The Ge- 
neral reprefented to them the juft Caiifes he had to be 
difpieafed with them, that on a Viev/ of their Faults, 
the Pardon might appear^ with greater Luftre, and the 
Peace which he granted them prove more welcome. 
The Ambaffadors received it with great Applaufe, re- 
turning extremely fatisfied, and ealily enriched with thofe 
flight Baubles they fo highly valued. Afterwards the 
Caziqlie himfelf capie to vifit Co 7 -tes, accompanied 
by all his Officers, bringing with him a Prefent of 
Cotton Cloths, Plumes of various Colours, and fome 
Pieces of Low Gold, more: valuable for the Workman- 
flrip than for the Metal ; he firft made his Prefent in 
order to be better received : Cortes careffed him very much, 
and the Vifit paifed in Proteftations of a reciprocal and 
fmcere Friendiliip, all tranfafted by the Interpreter •, the 
Spanifo Captains treated the other prime Indians who ac- 
companied the Cazique, and nothing appeared but Signs 
of Joy and Peace, which they explained by their Coun- 
tenances and Embraces to fupply the Want of Lan- 
guage. 
The Cazique took his leave, and appointed another 
Day for an Interview', and to ffiew his Sincerity and how 
much he confided in the General, he ordered his Sub- 
jefts to return with their Families to I'abafco, and affift 
the Spaniards in whatever they fliould want. The next 
Day he came again to the Quarters, with the fame At- 
tendance, and twenty Indian Women, well drefled after 
the Manner of the Country, telling Cortes he brought 
them as a Prefent to ferve him and his Companions, be- 
ing very fkilful in dreffing all Sorts of Meat, and in 
making Bread of Indian Wheat, which, amongft them, 
was always the Work of Women-, they ground the 
Grain betw^een two Stones, like thofe we ufe for Cho- 
colate, and v/hen reduced to Flower, they made it into 
Pafte, without having any Occafion for Leaven : Then 
they fpread and moulded it upon a Sort of Earthen 
Plates, which they put over the Fire and baked it ; this 
being the Bread with which God has abundantly fupplied 
that new World (to make amends for the Want of 
Wheat) and is very agreeable to the Tafte, and not of- 
fenfive to the Stomach. Amongft thefe Women came one 
principal Indian^ well made, and of more than ordinary 
Beauty, v/ho was afterwards baptized, and received the 
Name of Marina^ and proved very ufeful in the Con- 
qiieft, as will appear in its proper Place. 
The Pilots preiTed the Departure of the Fleet, whicli, 
according to their Obfervations, might be endangered 
by any longer Stay in that Place. And though Cortes 
was concerned to leave thofe People before he had bet- 
ter inftrufted them, he found himfelf obliged to think of 
his Voyage, and Palm Sunday drawing nigh, he appoint- 
ed that Day for embarking, fo ordering it that the 
Feftival might be kept firft, according to the Rites of 
the Church, Religion being always his firft Care ; at the 
fame time they embarked their Provifions, and made all 
other neceffary Preparations for their Voyage. The In- 
dians affifted in all things with an officious Diligence ; and 
the Cazique, wnth his Captains, attended Cortes with the 
greateft Refpeft and Veneration. When Mafs was done, 
Cortes took leave of the Cazique, and, having confirmed 
the Peace with further Demonftrations of Friendffiip, 
he embarked, leaving thefe People rather obedient than 
fubjedt to the King and as to Religion, fq far in the 
Way to Salvation, as to defire, or at leaft not to oppofe, 
the Means of obtaining it. 
5. The next Day xht Spaniards fet fail, and,^ following 
the Coaft to the Weft ward, came within Sight ot the Ifland 
fX Guazacoalco^ and without putting in at the Ifland of 
Banners^ had a View of the Ifland of Sacrifices and other 
Places, which had been before difcovered, and forfaken 
by Juan de Grijalva the Soldiers who had ferved under 
him, telling their Comrades what Adventures they nad 
met wnth in that Expedition ; and Cortes learning from 
the ill Succefs of that Enterprize, how to manage his own 
better. At length they arrived at St. Juan de Ulua at 
Noon, and the Ships had no fooner anchored between 
the Ifland and the main Land to flielter themfelves from 
the North Winds, than they faw two large Canoes, which' 
ERNAN Cortes, > Book I. 
in that Country are called Piraguas., coming from tlie 
neighbouring Coaft with fome Indiajis in them, who drew 
near without fhewing the leaft Concern, difcovering by 
this Security, and fome Signs they made, that they canie 
in a peaceable Manner, and had thofe on board who de- 
fired to be heard. When they came within a fmall 
Diftance of the Admiral, they began to fpeak in a.ftrange 
Language that Aguilar did not underftand, which much 
troubled Cortes, being concerned to want an Interpreter, 
when he had moft Occafion for him, lookkig upon it as 
an Obftacle to his Undertaking ; but Providence, that 
brings about its Defigns, by Ways which to Men appear 
cafual, foon relieved him in this Diftrefs. 
The Pidian Woman, whom we fhall now call Donna 
Marina, was not far from Cortes and Aguilar, and guef- 
fing by their Looks what they were difcourfmg, and what 
they wanted, flie told Aguilar, in the Yucatan Tongue, 
that thofe Indians fpoke the Mexican Language, and de-- 
fired Audience of the General, on the Part of the Go- 
vernor, of that Province. This Donna Marina was Daugh- 
ter to the Cazique of Guazacoalco, one of the Provinces 
fubjebl to the Emperor of Mexico, bordering upon that 
of Yabafico, and had, through fome Accidents of Life, 
which are varioufly reported, been carried away in her 
Youth to Xicalango, a ftrong Place upon, the Confines of 
Yucatan, which was kept by Mexican Gf?iXx\{os\'. There 
fhe was bred in a poor Manner, no way agreeable to her 
Birth ; till by a frefli Misfortune, either by Sale or being 
taken in War, fhe became a Slave to the Cazique of 
Yabafico, who made a Prefent of her to Cortes. In Gu- 
zacoalco and in Xicalango they fpoke the Mexican Lan- 
guage, and in Yabafico, that of Yucatan, which Aguilar 
underftood : So that Donna Marina underftood both thofe - 
Languages, and explained to the Indians in the Mexican 
Language, what Aguilar told her in that of Yucatan. 
Cortes making ufe of this round about Way of fpeaking 
by two Interpreters, till fuch time as Donna Marina had 
learned Spanijh, which was not long, for ffie had a very 
ready Wit and feveral natural Endowments which well 
agreed with her Birth. She was ever a moft faithful 
Interpreter to Cortes, and he confirmed her in his Intereft 
by Ways not altogether fo decent, for he had Son by 
her, called Don Martin Cortes, who was made Knight of 
St. Jago, in confideration of the Nobility of his Mother’s 
Birth. 
The Indians acquainted him that Pilpatoe, and Yeutile, 
the one Governor, and the other Captain General of that 
Province, from the great Emperor Motezwna, had fent 
them to know of the Commander of the Fleet, with 
what Intention he was come upon their Coaft ? Cortes 
careifed them, gave them a few Baubles, and treated 
them with fome Spamifn Wine, and having thus obliged 
them, anfwered, “ That he came as a Friend, to treat 
of Matters of great Importance to their Prince and all 
his Empire for Vv^hich Purpofe he would meet the two 
Governors, and hoped to receive the fame good Treatment 
from them, as others of his Nation had done the Year 
before. ” And having received fome Information con- 
cerning the Greatnefs ot Moteztmia, his Riches and Form 
of Government, he fent them away very well contented. 
The next Day being Good Friday, the Spaniards all 
landed on Shore near the Fleet, and Cortes gave Orders 
for landing the Horfes and Artillery, and that the Sol- 
diers, in Companies, fliould go and cut Fafcines to en- 
trench themfelves, not forgetting to poft the neceffary 
Guards at the Avenues, and to build a fufficient Num- 
ber of Barracs to ffielter them from the Heat of the Sun, 
which, at that time, was very great. The Artillery were 
planted fo as to command the Country, and in a little 
time they v/ere all under Cover. For Yeutile fent a great 
Number of Indians with Provifions, and Orders to affift 
the Spaniards in that Work : To whom they were of 
great ufe, becaufe they brought their Tools edged with 
fliarp Flints, v/ith which they cut Stakes, and d them 
in the Ground j interwove with them ^ the Boughs and 
Leaves of Palm-trees forming tne Walls and Roofs of 
a Lodging with much Eafe and Diligence, being great 
Mafters in this kind of Architefture, as having in. many 
Places no other Floules, and being lefs barbarous in pro- 
2 portioning 
t 
