complied, and
brought a present consisting in fowls and fish, Cortes, in return,
giving them some of the swine he had taken with him on this expedition;
for he had been assured by a Spaniard that these islands were peculiarly
adapted for breeding pigs, provided the animals were allowed to go at
large. This indeed was found to be a fact; for, a couple of years after,
they had so increased that people went thither regularly to hunt them.

But all this is rather foreign to my narrative, and I will rather
acquaint the reader that the caziques sent so large a body of Indians to
level the hill, that, in the space of two days, there was a good
prospect of the sea from the town. They likewise constructed fifteen
houses, of which one for Cortes was of larger dimensions. As there were
still a great number of townships which refused obedience, Cortes
desired the caziques of Papayeca, which, at that time, was a very
extensive township, to enumerate the several tribes which had omitted to
send ambassadors. The whole of them, he was informed, dwelt among the
mountains, and had equipped themselves for war. Our general then
despatched thither Saavedra, with a strong detachment of troops, among
whom were also the eight soldiers of Guacasualco, to compel these
Indians to sue for peace. Most of these townships, on the approach of
our troops, very wisely submitted without offering any resistance; but
there were three which obstinately refused to do so, and, if I am not
mistaken, are called the Acaltecas, against which Saavedra immediately
marched his men. Cortes' name was so feared and respected among all the
inhabitants of this country that even the distant tribes of Olancho,
where subsequently so many lucrative mines were discovered, sent
ambassadors to him to declare themselves vassals of our emperor.
Throughout this country Cortes was known by the name of the captain Hue,
Hue of Marina, which means the old captain who has Marina with him.

During our general's stay in Truxillo, his cousin Avalos, the two
Franciscan monks, the licentiate Pedro Lopez, the officers of his
household, Carranza and Guinea, Juan Tlamena and several of the men he
had brought with him, besides many of the colonists, were all suffering
from bad health. Cortes, therefore, determined to send the whole of
them, as soon as the weather was favorable, either to Cuba or to St.
Domingo. For this purpose he fitted out a vessel and sent on board the
best provisions that