a civilization which has puzzled the learned ever since. The natives of Yucatan had apparently, however, made more advance in the arts of life than in the higher attributes of sincerity and good faith. They invited the Spaniards to their houses, laid an ambuscade for them, and wounded several. The Spaniards, in their turn, succeeded in capturing two Indians, who afterwards became interpreters.

The expedition of De Córdova, having begun ill, continued to be unfortunate. The explorers went further westwards and discovered the Bay of Campeche, proceeding as far as Champoton; but they got into an encounter with the natives, lost a great many of their men, suffered from terrible thirst, and, after enduring many miseries, made their way back to Havana, and from thence to Santiago, where the Governor Velazquez then was. The news brought back by the expedition, and certain golden ornaments which they had to show (well-wrought, but not of pure gold), could not fail to stimulate Velazquez to further attempts at discovery. Indeed, the fame of De Córdova's voyage spread far and wide; various conjectures were instantly propounded as to who

De Cor

dova re

turns.

Grijalva's expedition sails, April

, 1518.

these islanders were who built houses of stone and mortar; and some ingenious persons were ready to declare that these Indians must be the descendants of those Jews whom Vespasian and Titus had driven into exile. Velazquez lost no time in fitting out another armada, the command of which was given to a young countryman of his, who was treated by him as a relative, and whose name was Juan de Grijalva. Pedro de Alvarado, a name afterwards too well known in American history, commanded one of the vessels in this expedition. Bernal Diaz was also employed, and Anton Alaminos went out as principal pilot.

Grijalva set sail from Cuba on the 5th of April, 1518, and, his vessels being driven by the currents in a more southerly direction than the former expedition, first saw land at the island of Cozumel, and afterwards resuming the direction which De Córdova's expedition had taken the year before, extended the field of discovery.

Summing up the result of what took place in the course of these expeditions, we may say that they were so far successful that they made the Spaniards acquainted with the existence of new

lands on the continent of America, and with an Indian people of greater civilization than had hitherto been met with, who built houses instead of huts, and whose mode of dress was less primæval than the inhabitants of the islands. Such, with some gold, had been the result of the expe

ditions under Hernandez de Córdova and Juan de

Grijalva, up to the time at which our narrative

commences.

De Córdova had discovered Yucatan ;* and

De Solis and Pinzon had seen part of Yucatan in 1506, but had not landed. See NAV., Col., vol. iii. p. 47. See also HERRERA, dec. I, lib. vi. cap. 17. The name of

Result of discoveries

prior to

Cortes.

Grijalva
sends home
Pedro de
Alvarado.

Grijalva, entering the river Tabasco, which falls into the Gulf of Mexico, discovered New Spain, a name that was first given to that country in the course of this voyage.

Grijalva went as far as the province of Panuco, but made no settlement in those parts, for which he was severely and unjustly blamed by Velazquez.

Previously to returning with the whole of his fleet, Grijalva sent home Pedro de Alvarado with the sick and wounded, and with the gold which had been obtained from the natives in the way of barter. The desire of Velazquez for discovery and settlement was likely to be increased by the

Yucatan has been attributed to a mistake which must often have happened. The Spaniards asked the name of the land; the Indians answered, “I do not understand," which passed afterwards for the name. "Los indios no entendiendo lo que les preguntaban, respondian en su lenguaje y decian YUCATAN YUCATAN, que quiere decir no entiendo, no entiendo: así los españoles descubridores pensaron que los indios respondian que se llamaba Yucatan, y en esta manera se quedó impropriamente á aquella tierra este nombre Yucatan."-NAVARRETE, SALVA, Y SAINZ DE BARANDA, Coleccion de Documentos Inéditos para la Historia de España, tom. i., p. 418. Madrid, 1844.

prepares a

accounts brought back by Alvarado; and, as Grijalva did not return so soon as was expected, Velazquez was anxious to gain tidings of what had become of him. This Governor, accordingly, Velazquez prepared, or perhaps we should say, authorized new fleet: gives the the preparation of, a larger fleet than he had command hitherto sent out; and, after some hesitation, conferred the command on Cortes. From the Governor's instructions, it appears that one of the first objects of the expedition was to have been the search after Grijalva,† but that captain returned to Cuba before Cortes sailed.

It will here be desirable to give a brief account of the previous life of this Commander, as much may be inferred from it in reference to the important transactions which are now to be narrated.

to Cortes.

Hernando Cortes was born in the year 1485, Birth and

66

*The Governor had at first offered the command to a certain Baltasar Bermudez; but he asked such conditions as Velazquez would not consent to. Enójose con él, y hechóle de sí, quizá como solia, con desmandádas palabras."-LAS CASAS, Hist. de las Indias, MS., lib. iii. cap. 113. + See the instructions given by Velazquez to Cortes, Documentos Inéditos, tom. i. p. 385.

The day of his birth has been said to be the same as

parentage of Cortes.