atan, where they were to despatch some
Indians inland, to seek for and ransom the Christian captives, of whom
he had gained some tidings from a trader, and while they were gone he
explored the island, and induced the natives to declare themselves
Christians by the very summary method of rolling their venerated idols
out of their temple, and setting up in their stead an image of the
Virgin and Child. When the Indians saw that no terrible consequences
followed, they listened to the teaching of the good priest, Father
Olmedo, who accompanied the expedition, though it is probable that they
did not, after all, understand much of his instruction. After eight days
the two ships came back, but with no news of the captives, and Cortes
sorrowfully decided that he could wait no longer. He accordingly took in
provisions and water, and set sail again, but before they had gone far
one of the ships sprang a leak, which obliged them to put back into the
same port. It was lucky that they did, for soon after they landed a
canoe was seen coming from the shore of Yucatan, which proved to contain
one of the long-lost Spaniards, who was called Aguilas. He had been for
eight years a slave among the natives in the interior, but his master,
tempted by the ransom of glass-beads, hawk-bells, and such treasures,
had consented to release him. When he reached the coast the ships were
gone, but owing to the fortunate accident of their return, he found
himself once more among his countrymen. Cortes at once saw the
importance of having him as an interpreter, but in the end he proved to
be of more use to the explorers than could have been at first imagined.

[Illustration]

Again the fleet set out, and coasted along the Gulf of Mexico till they
reached the mouth of the Rio de Tabasco. Here Cortes landed, but found
that the Indians were hostile, and were drawn up in great force against
him. However, after some hard fighting the Spaniards were victorious,
and having taken possession of the town of Tabasco, Cortes sent
messengers to the chiefs saying that if they did not at once submit
themselves he would ravage the country with fire and sword. As they had
no mind for any more fighting they came humbly, bringing presents, and
among them thirty slaves, one of whom, a beautiful Mexican girl named
Malinche, was afterwards of the utmost importance to the expedition. She
had come into the possession of the cacique of Tabasco through some
traders from the inter