t out for the coast
with the Cozumel Indians, but this delay had consumed all of the eight
days appointed, and when they reached Point Cotoche the caravels had
gone.

But a broken canoe and a stave from a water-barrel lay on the beach, and
with the help of the messengers Aguilar patched up the canoe, and with
the board for a paddle, made the canoe serve his need. Following the
coast they came to the narrowest part of the channel between the
mainland and Cozumel, and in spite of a very strong current got across
to the island. No sooner had they landed when some Spaniards rushed out
of the bushes, with drawn swords. The Indians were about to fly in
terror, but Aguilar called to them in their own language to have no
fear. Then he spoke to the Spaniards in broken Castilian, saying that he
was a Christian, fell on his knees and thanked God that he had lived to
hear his own language again.

The Spaniards looked at this strange figure in absolute bewilderment. He
was to all appearance an Indian. His long hair was braided and wound
about his head, he had a bow in his hand, a quiver of arrows on his
back, a bag of woven grass-work hung about his neck by a long cord. The
pattern of the weaving was a series of interwoven crosses. Cortes,
giving up hope of rescuing any Christian captives, had left the island,
but one of his ships had sprung a leak and he had put back. When he saw
an Indian canoe coming he had sent scouts to see what it might be. They
now led Jeronimo Aguilar and his Indian companions into the presence of
the captain-general and his staff. Aguilar saluted Cortes in the Indian
fashion, by carrying his hand from the ground to his forehead as he
knelt crouching before him. But Cortes, when he understood who this man
was, raised him to his feet, embraced him and flung about his shoulders
his own cloak. Aguilar became his interpreter, and thus was the prophecy
fulfilled concerning the gods of Taxmar.

[Illustration: "CORTES FLUNG ABOUT HIS SHOULDERS HIS OWN
CLOAK."--_Page_ 146]

NOTE

The story of Jeronimo Aguilar follows the actual facts very closely. The
account of his adventures will be found in Irving's "Life of Columbus"
and other works dealing with the history of the Spanish conquests.

A LEGEND OF MALINCHE

O sorcerer Time, turn backward to the shore
Where it is always morning, and the birds
Are troubadours of all the hidden lore
Deeper than any words!

There lived a m