s very foreign to that first meeting. By this insulting and hasty
reception, they did not give us an opportunity to look after our
baggage, although the Chakan Ytzaes had the opportunity to put our
things under such good guard that up to now we had not seen it, we
being left from that time without more comfort than the clothes on our
backs, nor more sustenance than that which their savage generosity
might choose to give us."

Bravery of Avendano. "In the long time that we were on the lake, a
temptation was offered to the King, such as belonged to the devil who
inspired it and natural to his inhuman and cruel heart, so as to
inspire me with fear, so that my heart might suffer some sadness or
disturbance; but his purpose found itself frustrated, first, because
when I started from Merida for this nation, I went prepared to die; and
second, knowing that they were such savages in their ways, my courage
stood prepared to suffer whatever insults they might say to me, as for
instance to bear for God, who gives us courage, any unreasonable acts,
whatsoever. Suddenly the said King placed his hand over my heart to see
if it was at all agitated, and at the same time he asked me if I was
so. I who was before very glad to see that my wishes and the work of my
journey were being obtained, replied to him, 'Why should my heart be
disturbed? Rather it is very contented, seeing that I am the fortunate
man, who is fulfilling your own prophecies, by which you are to become
Christians; and this benefit will come to you by means of some bearded
men from the East; who by signs of their prophets,[9.3] were we
ourselves, because we came many leagues from the direction of the east,
ploughing the seas, with no other purpose than, borne by our love of
their souls, to bring them, (at the cost of much work) to that favor
which the true God shows them.' I at this time, with some freedom on my
part, also placed my hand on his breast and heart, and asking him also
if his was disturbed, he said, 'No.' To which I replied, 'If you are
not disturbed, at seeing me, who am the minister of the true God,
different in everything from you, in dress, customs and color, so that
I inspire fear in the devil, and if your heart is not troubled, why
should you expect me to be afraid of you, mere men like myself, whom I
come to seek purposely, with great pleasure, merely for the love which
I have for their souls, and having found them, in order to announce to
them the