little delighted to find us
thus surrounded by plenty, and he immediately despatched the Mexicans
with thirty bushels of maise to Cortes, who distributed this welcome
supply among the colonists, and as they had not been accustomed for a
length of time to any other nourishment than fruit and a little cassave
bread, they ate so ravenously of the maise that the greater part fell
ill in consequence, and seven of them died.

During this great distress for want of provisions, it pleased the
Almighty that a vessel should run into the harbour from Cuba, having on
board seven passengers, seven horses, forty pigs, eight barrels of
pickled meat, and a large quantity of cassave bread. The cargo belonged
to a certain Antonio de Comargo, and Cortes purchased the whole of it
upon credit, distributing a great part of the provisions among the
colonists; but the consequences again proved fatal to many of these
unfortunate persons, for they had become so enfeebled, that their
stomachs were unable to bear this very nourishing food, which brought on
dysentery, and ten more of them died.

As this vessel had brought a few soldiers and had eight sailors on
board, Cortes determined to embark in her and sail up the river to visit
the townships which lay on the banks, and to explore the interior of the
country. He also ordered one of the brigantines of Gil Gonsalez de
Avila to be repaired, and a boat to be constructed in the shape of those
used in unloading vessels; also four canoes, to be securely fastened
together. On board these vessels Cortes embarked with thirty soldiers,
the eight sailors, and twenty Mexicans. He may have sailed up the river
to the distance of about forty miles, when he came to a large lake,
which, to judge from the measurement of the eye, was about twenty-four
miles in breadth, and its banks were quite uninhabited, as the whole
surrounding country was subject to frequent inundations. Further up, the
river continually became more rapid, until the vessels arrived at some
cataracts, which none of them were able to pass; Cortes, therefore,
landed his men here, and, after leaving six Spaniards in charge of the
vessels, he commenced his march up the country along a very narrow path.
First, he arrived at some townships which were deserted by the
inhabitants, and then to a few maise plantations, in which he captured
three Indians, whom he took along with him as guides. These people
conducted him to several small villages, where