s all to no purpose; he could not persuade
Gonzalo to accompany his heretofore companion in good and ill fortune.
This Guerrero was most probably a sailor, and a native of Palos.[10] He
remained among the Indians, while Geronimo de Aguilar alone took his
departure with the Indian messengers, and marched towards the coast
where our ship was to have waited for them: but she had left; for De
Ordas, after staying there the eight days, and another in addition,
finding that no one appeared, again set sail for Cozumel. Aguilar was
quite downcast when he found the ship was gone, and he again returned to
his Indian master.

Ordas, however, did not meet with the best of reception when he returned
without the ransom-money or any information respecting the Spaniards,
and even without the Indian messengers. Cortes said to him, with great
vehemence, he expected he would have fulfilled his commission better
than to return without the Spaniards, and even without bringing him any
information respecting them, although well aware they were staying in
that country. Cortes had, moreover, just that moment been greatly put
out by another circumstance. A soldier, called Berrio, had accused some
sailors of Gibraleon of having stolen from him a couple of sides of
bacon, which they would not return. They positively denied that they had
committed the robbery, and even took an oath to that effect; however,
after a good search, the bacon was found among their clothes. There were
seven sailors who had been concerned in the robbery, and Cortes,
notwithstanding their officers interceded in their behalf, ordered them
to be severely whipped.

The island of Cozumel, it seems, was a place to which the Indians made
pilgrimages; for the neighbouring tribes of the promontory of Cotoche
and other districts of Yucatan, came thither in great numbers to
sacrifice to some abominable idols, which stood in a temple there. One
morning we perceived that the place where these horrible images stood
was crowded with Indians and their wives. They burnt a species of resin,
which very much resembled our incense, and as such a sight was so novel
to us we paid particular attention to all that went forward. Upon this
an old man, who had on a wide cloak and was a priest, mounted to the
very top of the temple, and began preaching something to the Indians. We
were all very curious to know what the purport of this sermon was, and
Cortes desired Melchorejo to interpret it to him.