y of Tenoctitlan, or Mexico. The
river where I had been cast away was the Rio de Tobasco, where Cortes
landed in the following year, and my host, or rather my captor, was the
cacique or chief of Tobasco, the same man who subsequently presented
Marina to Cortes. Thus it came about that, with the exception of a
certain Aguilar, who with some companions was wrecked on the coast of
Yucatan six years before, I was the first white man who ever dwelt among
the Indians. This Aguilar was rescued by Cortes, though his companions
were all sacrificed to Huitzel, the horrible war-god of the country. But
the name of the Spaniards was already known to the Indians, who looked
on them with superstitious fear, for in the year previous to my being
cast away, the hidalgo Hernandez de Cordova had visited the coast of
Yucatan and fought several battles with the natives, and earlier in the
same year of my arrival, Juan de Grigalva had come to this very river of
Tobasco. Thus it came about that I was set down as one of this strange
new nation of Teules, as the Indians named the Spaniards, and therefore
as an enemy for whose blood the gods were thirsting.

I awoke at dawn much refreshed with sleep, and having washed and clothed
myself in the linen robes that were provided for me, I came into the
large room, where food was given me. Scarcely had I finished my meal
when my captor, the cacique, entered, accompanied by two men whose
appearance struck terror to my heart. In countenance they were fierce
and horrible; they wore black robes embroidered with mystic characters
in red, and their long and tangled hair was matted together with some
strange substance. These men, whom all present, including the chief or
cacique, seemed to look on with the utmost reverence, glared at me with
a fierce glee that made my blood run cold. One of them, indeed, tore
open my white robe and placed his filthy hand upon my heart, which beat
quickly enough, counting its throbs aloud while the other nodded at his
words. Afterwards I learned that he was saying that I was very strong.

Glancing round to find the interpretation of this act upon the faces of
those about me, my eyes caught those of the girl Marina, and there was
that in them which left me in little doubt. Horror and pity were written
there, and I knew that some dreadful death overshadowed me. Before
I could do anything, before I could even think, I was seized by the
priests, or pabas as the Indians name them,