Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
which at my departure from him he freely gave unto me.
So came I to the city of Guatemala upon the South Sea, which is distant
from Mexico about 250 leagues, where I stayed six days, for that my
horse was weak, and from thence I travelled still south and by east
seven days' journey, passing by certain Indian towns until I came to an
Indian town distant from Mexico direct south 309 leagues. And here at
this town inquiring to go to the port of Cavallos in the north-east
sea, it was answered that in travelling thither I should not come to
any town in ten or twelve days' journey; so here I hired two Indians to
be my guides, and I bought hens and bread to serve us so long time, and
took with us things to kindle fire every night because of wild beasts,
and to dress our meat; and every night when we rested my Indian guides
would make two great fires, between the which we placed ourselves and
my horse. And in the night time we should hear the lions roar, with
tigers, ounces, and other beasts, and some of them we should see in the
night which had eyes shining like fire. And travelling thus for the
space of twelve days, we came at last to the port of Cavallos upon the
east sea, distant from Guatemala south and by east 200 leagues, and
from Mexico 450 or thereabouts. This is a good harbour for ships, and
is without either castle or bulwark. I having despatched away my
guides, went down to the haven, where I saw certain ships laden chiefly
with canary wine, where I spake with one of the masters, who asked me
what countryman I was, and I told him that I was born in Granada, and
he said that then I was his countryman. I required him that I might
pass home with him in his ship, paying for my passage; and he said yea,
so that I had a safe conduct or letter testimonial to show that he
might incur no danger; for, said he, "it may be that you have killed
some man, or be indebted, and you would therefore run away." To that I
answered that there was not any such cause.
Well, in the end we grew to a price that for 60 pezoes he would carry
me into Spain. A glad man was I at this good hap, and I quickly sold
my horse, and made my provision of hens and bread to serve me in my
passage; and thus within two days after we set sail, and never stayed
until we came to the Havana, which is distant from port de Cavallos by
sea 500 leagues, where we found the whole fleet of Spain, which was
bound home from the Indies. And here I was hired for a soldier, to
serve in the admiral ship of the same fleet, wherein the general
himself went.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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