an both vessels aground on the
sandy beach, after which they lightened both vessels by carrying every
thing on shore, and propped them up to keep them from oversetting.
Having thus landed, two men undertook to go in quest of the other
brigantines.

[Footnote 193: By this time their course must have long been almost due
south along the coast of the new kingdom of Leon, and province of Nuevo
Santander.--E.]

Next day three parties were sent out in different directions to discover
the country. The two parties which went along the coast to the right and
left soon returned with some broken pieces of earthen ware, of the kinds
which are made at Talavera and Malaga in Spain, which gave them much
satisfaction to think that they must now be in the neighbourhood of
their countrymen. Gonzalo Silvestre, who went up the country with the
third party, at the end of a quarter of a league saw some Indians
fishing on a lake[194], and two others gathering fruit from the trees.
The Spaniards endeavoured to lay hold of these two Indians, but one of
them escaped by swimming over the lake. Silvestre found likewise in a
cottage two small baskets of fruit, a turkey, a cock and two Spanish
hens, and some conserve of _maguey_. Still holding fast the Indian,
Silvestre went back to his comrades at the sea-side, and to all the
inquiries they made of the Indian as to where they were, his only answer
was _Brezos! Brezos!_ which, as they afterwards learnt, was meant to
signify that he belonged to a Spaniard named Christoval de Brezos. On
rejoining his companions, Silvestre found them rejoicing at the sight of
the broken earthen dishes; but they were still more gratified at seeing
the Spanish poultry, and the Indian being now reassured on finding he
was in the hands of Spaniards, told them they were in the province of
Panuco, and that the other brigantines had gone up the river Tampico to
that city, which was ten leagues off. He said likewise that he belonged
to one Christoval de Brezos; and that a cacique resided only at the
distance of a league and a half who could read and write. Accordingly
they gave the Indian some toys and sent him to the cacique; and in four
hours afterwards the cacique came to them attended by eight Indians,
loaded with fowls, fish, fruit, and Indian corn, and brought them paper,
pens, and ink, that they might write an account of their arrival and
situation to the governor of Panuco.

[Footnote 194: Probably the lake of _Tami