The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 1 (of 2): Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain. — John Shaqi
The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 1 (of 2): Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain.Díaz del Castillo, Bernal
History
The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 1 (of 2): Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain.
Díaz del Castillo, Bernal
Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540
The day following, the Indian woman returned, but informed us that,
notwithstanding all her representations, she could neither persuade the
Indians nor their wives to accompany her. We called this place Santa
Cruz, because we had discovered it four or five days before the feast of
the Holy Cross. In this neighbourhood there was plenty of honey, manioc,
patates, and large herds of musk swine, which have their navels on their
backs.[5] This island contains three poor villages, of which the one I
am now speaking of is the largest; the two smaller ones were both
situated on a promontory at about six miles distance from each other.
Our commander Grijalva, perceiving that it was mere loss of time to make
any further stay here, gave orders for re-embarking. The Indian woman of
Jamaica went along with us, and we continued our voyage.
[4] Puerto de Matanza, the harbour of the massacre. (p. 20.)
[5] The sus tajassu, pecary, or Mexican musk hog; but what our old
soldier, with other writers, mistook for a navel, is an open gland on
the lower part of the back, which discharges a fetid ichorous liquor.
(p. 22.)
CHAPTER IX.
_How we landed at Champoton._
From this point we sailed in the same direction we had taken under
Cordoba, and arrived after eight days' sail off the coast of Champoton,
the place where the Indians had so ill used us, as has been related in
the proper place. The sea being very shallow in these parts we dropt our
anchor at about three miles distance from the shore, and immediately
landed in all our boats with half of our men, as near to the village as
possible. The inhabitants and other Indians in the neighbourhood
gathered themselves together as they had the time before, when they
killed fifty-six of our men and wounded all the rest of us. From their
bearing and proud demeanour we could easily perceive that they had not
forgotten their victory. They were all well armed according to their
fashion, with bows, lances, shields, and broadswords, which they wield
with both hands. Added to all this they had slings, cotton cuirasses,
drums and trumpets, while most of them had their faces painted black and
white. They had arranged themselves along the sea shore in order to fall
upon us as soon as we landed. But, as our previous loss had taught us
prudence, we took with us this time some falconets, and otherwise well
armed ourselves with crossbows and matchlocks.
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