While Some Went To Look Out For The Inhabitants, Grijalva
Caused Mass To Be Celebrated On The Shore.
Two old men were found in a
field of maize, who were brought to Grijalva; and as Julian and
Melchior
happened to understand their language, Grijalva made much of them, giving
them some beads and looking-glasses, and sent them away to their chief and
countrymen, in hopes of establishing an intercourse with the natives, but
they never returned. While waiting for them, there came a handsome young
woman, who told them in the language of Jamaica, that the people had all
fled into the woods for fear, but that she had come to them, being
acquainted with ships and Spaniards. Many of the people of the ships
understood her language, and were astonished how she could have come to
that island. She said that she had gone out to fish from the island of
Jamaica about two years before, in a canoe with ten men, and had been
driven by a storm and the currents to that island, where the natives had
sacrificed her husband and all the rest of her countrymen to their idols.
Grijalva, beleaving that this woman would be a faithful messenger, sent
her to persuade the natives to come out of the woods, being afraid if he
sent Julian and Melchior that they might not return. The woman came back
in two days, saying that she had done all she could to prevail on the
natives, but altogether without effect.
Finding that nothing could be accomplished at this place, Grijalva
embarked his men, taking the Jamaica woman along with him, as she begged
him not to leave her behind. In this island of Cozumel the Spaniards found
many hives of excellent honey; they found likewise considerable quantities
of batatas, and swine having navels on their backs[1], by which articles
of food they were much refreshed. They saw several temples, one of which
was in form of a square tower, wide at bottom, and hollow at the top,
having four large windows and galleries. In the hollow at the top, which
was the chapel, there were several idols, behind which was a sort of
vestry where the things used in the service of the temple were kept. At
the foot of the temple there was an inclosure of stone and lime well
plastered, having battlements; and in the middle of this was a cross of
white lime three yards high. This was held to be the god of rain, which
they affirmed they always procured on praying devoutly to this image.
While sailing along the coast of this island, the Spaniards were greatly
surprised to see large and beautiful buildings of stone, having several
high towers, which had a fine appearance from a distance. No such things
having ever been seen before in the West Indies, and likewise on account
of the cross which they had seen, Grijalva said they had discovered a NEW
SPAIN. Eight days after leaving Cozumel, they came to anchor off the town
of Pontonchan, and landed all the soldiers near some houses.
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