otonchan inflicted a great defeat on the
Spaniards. (Bernal Diaz, vol. i, p. 24; Landa, p. 20.) The party went
back to Cuba very shortly, and Cordoba reported to Velazquez as to what
had been found.

Juan de Grijalva and Others, 1518. In the spring of 1518 Velazquez
caused another expedition to be fitted out. Juan de Grijalva was to be
the commodore, and Alonso de Avila, Francisco de Montejo, and Pedro de
Albarado were each to have command of a ship. From our point of view
the most important thing this expedition did was to visit the island of
Cozumel. They also visited las Mugers which takes its name from the
female idols found there by the Spaniards. This party also touched at
Champoton and even went as far as San Juan de Ulloa and the Rio
Panuco.[3.2]

Cortes in Mexico, 1519. The next year, 1519, witnessed the setting out
of Fernando or Hernando or Hernan Cortes. His achievements in Mexico in
the years 1519-1524 in nowise concern us. In the latter year, however,
he inaugurated the bold project of reaching Honduras by land from
Mexico. As an inevitable result of this plan he entered the territory
of the Itzas. Villagutierre's account (lib. i, caps. 7, 8) of this
expedition is so complete that it is best for us to quote it in full.
The reader is urged to study Plate VI in order to learn the routes
followed by Cortes and others.

Villagutierre's Account of the Entrada of Cortes, 1524-1525. "The
Itzalana nation, having reached its place of retirement, was now
fortified in those Islands and Lakes which they occupied in the midst
of many other barbarous forest nations, for none of the rest was as
powerful as they.... After much fighting, Don Fernando Cortes had, by
force of arms and with many brilliant deeds, captured the Great City of
Mexico, Capital of the Northern American Empire. Also he had subjugated
many other regions, nearly all of New Spain, by 1521.

"In 1524, being desirous of settling Hibueras or Honduras, which is a
very good land, albeit far from Mexico, he [Cortes] had armed five
ships and a brigantine, all well provided with every sort of equipment.
In these he sent off four hundred Spaniards and thirty horses[3.3]
under the charge of Christoval de Olid, who had orders to take on at
Havana as many more troops as were ready to go. Afterwards they were
all to go and settle on the coast of Honduras, which was the purpose of
the voyage. But Christoval de Olid rose in rebellion with the ships and
sold