16. The two previous visits referred to were probably those of Cordova, 1517, and Grijalva, 1518. "Those who knew to speak the true words," refers to the Catholic priests. All the historians of Cortes' expedition dwell on the effect produced on the natives of Cozumel by the religious services he held there. The date, Feb. 28, 1519, seems correct, although it is not mentioned by any other writer I have at hand. Cortes left Havana, Feb. 19. _Lai yabil_, "in this year," evidently a date is omitted, as the first arrival of the Spaniards at Chichen Itza was either at the close of 1526 or beginning of 1527. One of the Maya MSS. gives the year as _bulucil Muluc_, the 11th Muluc. The Maya year, it will be remembered, began on the 16th of July. "It was on the memorable thirteenth of August, 1521, the day of St. Hippolytus, that Cortes led his warlike array for the last time across the black and blasted environs which lay around the Indian capital, etc." Prescott, _Conquest of Mexico_, Book VI, chap. VIII. There is little doubt but that the tidings of the dreadful destruction of the mighty Tenochtitlan was rapidly disseminated among the tribes far down into Yucatan and Central America, and made a profound impression on them. This section is confused and difficult. Avila translates:-- "Fueron atacados por tercera vez los mismos Españoles por todos los pueblos aqui en el pueblo de Cupul cuando hallaron à Ah Ceh Pech muriendose en una casa no embarrada y à su compañero el otro Rey Cen Pot," etc. 18. The official date of the founding of the city of Merida was Jan. 6, 1542. The anona or custard-apple does not seem to have been eaten by the natives, and it impressed them as strange and somewhat unnatural to witness the Spaniards suck them. _Ca u tocahob nao bon Cupul_; this is translated by Señor Avila: "quemaron al capitan Cupul:" they burned the captain Cupul; but I take it to be a misreading for _ca u yotochob nacom Cupul_, and have so translated it. There is no account of a leader of the Cupuls having been burned, and, moreover, this is in accordance with § 4. Another important chronological statement is made in this section, to wit, that the year 1542 (I suppose July 16, 1541-July 15, 1542 is meant) was 13 Kan. As Pech has already told us that it was also the first year of the 9th Ahau Katun, we have the date fixed in both methods of reckoning, that is, by the Kin Katun as well as the Ahau Katun, according to the calendar which his family used. 19. The town of Tikom is still in existence, but I have not been able to find Popce on any of the maps. The Chels were a well known princely family in ancient Yucatan. The _Dicc. de Motul_ says their province was that of Ɔizantun. 26.[TN-30] The Don Juan Caamal whose acts are briefly sketched in this section is the same mentioned in the _auto_ given previously, page 117. It is still a family name in Yucatan (Berendt, _Nombres Proprios en lengua Maya_, folio. _MS._)[TN-31]