uez, governor of the island of
Cuba, dispatched his nephew, John de Grisalva, on the first of May, with
four ships and two hundred soldiers, to discover Jucutan. On the 3d of
May, he fell in with the island of Cozumel, in 19 deg. north latitude, which
he named Santa Cruz, because discovered on the 3d of May, being the
anniversary of the holy cross. Grisalva coasted along the land, on the
west side of the bay of Honduras, and came to an island, which he named
Ascension, because discovered on Ascension day. They went unto the end of
that island, in 16 deg. of latitude, whence they came back, finding no
passage[31], and proceeded to a river in lat. 17 deg. N. which they called
the river of Grisalva. They were boldly opposed by the people on this
coast; yet they brought thence some gold, silver, and feathers, and
returned to Cuba. In the same year, Francis Garay fitted out three ships
from Jamaica at his own expence, and went to Cape Florida, in lat. 25 deg. N.
which seemed a most pleasant island; and thinking it better to people
islands than the firm land, because more easily conquered and kept under
subjection, he went on land; but the inhabitants of Florida killed a
great many of his people, and he was forced to re-embark and go away.
Sailing from thence he came to the river of Panuco, 500 leagues from Cape
Florida, sailing all the way along the coast, and endeavouring to land in
various places, but the natives repulsed him in every place. Many of his
people were killed and eaten by the savages in Chila, the natives hanging
up their skins in the temples of their gods, as a memorial of their own
valour. Yet Garay visited this place next year, as he had seen some
indications of gold and silver, and even applied to the emperor to be
appointed governor of the coast he had discovered. In February 1519[32],
Fernando Cortez sailed from Cuba for the country now called New Spain,
with eleven ships and 550 Spaniards. He landed first in the island of
Cozumel, where he immediately destroyed all the idols, and planted
crosses and images of the Virgin on all the altars. From thence he went
to the Cabo de las Duennas, on the peninsula of Yucatan, and thence to
the river of Tabasco, where he attacked a city called Potoncion. This
place was surrounded with wood; the houses were built of stone and lime,
and roofed with tiles, and the people resisted the assailants manfully;
but St James appeared on horseback to the assistance of the Spaniard