To Retain This Country Under Subjection, He Built A Town
Called _Medelin_, 120 Leagues From Mexico, And Another Named _Santo
Spirito_, On A River Four Leagues From The Sea[40].
In this year 1521,
died Emanuel, king of Portugal, and was succeeded by his son, John III.
In this same year, one of Magellan's ships sailed from Malacca with a
loading of cloves. They victualled at the island of Burro, and went from
thence to Timor, in lat. 11 deg. S.[41]. Beyond this island, about 100
leagues, they came to other islands, all inhabited, one of which was
called _Eude_. Passing on the outside of Sumatra, they found no land till
they arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, where they took in wood and water;
and sailing thence by the islands of Cabo Verde, they arrived at Seville,
where they were received with great honour, both on account of their
valuable cargo of cloves, and because they had circumnavigated the whole
world[42].
In January 1522, Gil Gonzales fitted out four ships from Tararequi, on
the South Sea, intending to discover the coast of Nicaragua, and
especially to search for a strait or passage, which was said to
communicate between the South and North Seas. Sailing along the coast, he
came to a harbour which he named St Vincent, where he landed with 100
Spaniards, some of whom had horses, and penetrated 200 leagues inland,
whence he brought back to the value of 200 pesoes in gold. On his return
to the harbour of St Vincent, he found his pilot, Andrew Nigno, who had
been to Tecoantepec, in lat. 16 deg. N. and had sailed 300 leagues. From
thence Gonzales returned to Panama, and so overland to Hispaniola[43].
In April 1522, the Trinity, commanded by Gonzala Gomez de Espinosa,
another of the ships of Magellan, sailed from Tidore for New Spain. And,
as the wind was scanty, they steered towards the N. E. in lat. 16 deg. N.
where they found two islands, which they named the Islands of St John. In
lat. 20 deg. N. they came to another island, which they called _la Griega_,
where some of the simple natives came on board, whom they kept to shew in
New Spain. Continuing their course to the N. E. for four months, they
came into lat. 42 deg. N. where they saw numbers of seals, and tunnies; and
the climate appeared to them so cold and inhospitable, that partly on
that account, and partly owing to contrary winds, they returned towards
Tidore, having been the first Spaniards who had been in so high a
northern latitude in these seas. On their return to Tidore, they found
one Antonio de Britto employed in building a fortress, who took their
goods from them, and sent forty-eight of them prisoners to Malacca[44].
In the same year 1522, Cortes was desirous to possess some harbours on
the South Sea, on purpose to open a trade with Malacca, Banda, Java, and
the other spice islands. For this purpose he sent four Spaniards with
Indian guides to Tecoantepec, Quahatemallan, and other harbours, where
they were well received, and whence they brought back some of the natives
to Mexico. These people were much caressed by Cortes; who afterwards sent
ten pilots to examine the coast, but they could find no good harbour,
after a survey of seventy leagues. A cacique, named; Cuchadaquir, used
them hospitably, and sent two hundred of his people to Cortes with
presents of gold and silver; and the people of Tecoantepec did the same.
Not long afterwards, this friendly cacique sent to Cortes, requesting aid
against his neighbours, who warred against him. Cortes accordingly, in
the year 1523, sent Peter de Alvarado to his assistance, with 200 foot
and 40 horse, who built a town called St Jago, in which he left a
garrison. The caciques of Tecoantepec and Quahutemallan inquired at
Alvarado concerning certain _sea monsters_ that had been on their coast
the year before; meaning the ships of Gil Gonzales de Avila, at which
they had been much amazed; and they wondered still more on being informed
that Cortes had many such, and much larger than those they had seen. They
displayed a painting of a mighty carak, having six masts, with sails and
shrouds, and having armed horsemen on board[45]. In May 1523, Antonio de
Britto, the Portuguese governor of the Molucca isles, sent Simon de Bru
to discover the passage from thence by the island of Borneo to Malacca.
They came in sight of the islands of Manada and Panguensara, and thence
through the strait of Treminao and Taquy to the islands of St Michael, in
7 deg. S. and then to the island of Borneo, where they came in sight of
_Pedra Branca_, or the _white stone_; whence, passing through the strait
of Cincapura, they came to the city of Malacca[46].
In the same year 1523, Cortes went with 300 Spanish foot, 150 horse, and
20,000 Mexicans, to make a complete discovery and conquest of Panuco, and
to punish the inhabitants for having killed and devoured the soldiers of
Francis Garay. The natives resisted him, but were overthrown; and to keep
the country under subjection, he built a town on the river, near Chila,
which he named Santo Stephano del Puerta, in which he left a garrison of
100 foot and 30 horse, under the command of Peter de Valleia. In this
expedition he lost many of his people, both Spaniards and Mexicans, and
several horses[47].
In this same year 1523, Francis de Garay, having a commission from the
emperor as governor of all the coast he had discovered from Florida to
Panuco, fitted out nine ships and two brigantines, with 850 soldiers and
150 horses, on purpose to take possession of his government. Some men
joined him from Jamaica, where he had furnished his squadron with warlike
ammunition; and sailing thence to the harbour of Xagua, in the island of
Cuba, he there learnt that Cortes had taken possession of the coast of
Panuco.
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