uld show us the way, if we were desirous
of going there. To which Cortes said, laughingly, he had not gone out
for the sake of such trifles, but to serve God and his king. In the
meantime he despatched Escobar, one of our commanders, with a
fast-sailing vessel of small tonnage, to the Terminos bay, there to
examine the country and search for a secure spot to found a colony; also
to inform us whether game really was so abundant there as had been
represented. All this was done according to the advice of our chief
pilot, to save the trouble of running in there with the whole fleet on
our passing by. Escobar, when he had explored the harbour, was merely to
leave some sign on both sides of the entrance, either by felling trees
or by leaving something in writing, from which we should know that he
had entered safely, or that, having fully explored the harbour, he was
tacking about until we fell in with him again.

With these instructions Escobar set sail, and ran into Terminos bay,
where he executed the commands he had received: he likewise found the
greyhound which had run away from us when we landed there with Grijalva.
It was quite glossy and fat, and immediately knew the ship again as it
entered the bay, wagging its tail, and jumping up against our men as it
followed them on board. Escobar now quitted the bay, and intended
laying-to until the rest of our vessels should come up, but was driven a
considerable way out to sea by a strong south wind. We must now return
to our squadron, which we left at the punta de las Mujeres. Having left
this spot next morning with a stiffish breeze blowing from the land, we
arrived at the entrance of Terminos bay, without, however, seeing
anything of Escobar. Cortes ordered a boat to be lowered, armed with ten
crossbow-men, to run into the bay, or search whether Escobar had left
any sign or written paper as desired. Some trees were found cut down,
and near them a small paper, on which was written, that both the bay and
country round about were charming, that the spot abounded with game, and
that they had found the dog. Our principal pilot here remarked to Cortes
that it would be most advisable for us to continue our course, for the
south wind had no doubt obliged Escobar to hold out to sea, though he
could not be far off, as he must have sailed in a slanting direction.
Cortes, however, still apprehended some accident must have befallen him:
nevertheless, he ordered the sails to be set, and we