h the country. I
was likewise desired to accompany Luis Marin, and we all set out on
foot. We passed through a number of hostile townships, though, if I were
to relate all the battles we fought with the natives; the difficulties
we had to encounter on this journey; the rivers and estuaries we had to
cross, sometimes by means of swimming, sometimes in canoes; the hunger
we sustained for several days, I should not finish so easily. There
were days in which we crossed, either in canoes or by swimming, three
rapid streams. On approaching nearer to the coast, we had to pass arms
of the sea which abounded with alligators, and when we arrived at the
river Xaqua, which lay forty miles from Triunfo de la Cruz, it took us
two whole days before we reached the opposite shore, in canoes. Here we
saw the remains of seven horses which had belonged to Oli's troops. At
length we arrived in Triunfo de la Cruz, where we found nothing but the
wood of some vessels which had been wrecked. We then marched on for
another four days, and came to the township of Guemara, where the
inhabitants rose up in arms against us. These Indians were armed with
long heavy lances, which they use in the same way we do ours, covering
their bodies at the same time with a shield, which is fastened to the
left arm. They came out against us in a large body, and we were obliged
to fight foot to foot with them; though, after a short conflict, we cut
our way through their crowded ranks, with only two of our men wounded.
Their reason for attacking us was, because they thought we did not
belong to Cortes' troops, but to a body of adventurers, who had on a
former occasion committed depredations among them.

Two days' further march brought us into the neighbourhood of Truxillo.
It was about the hour of vespers, and we speedily came in sight of five
persons, who were strolling along the shore on horseback, one of whom
was our general himself, who soon recognized us at a distance, gave spur
to his horse, and galloped up to us. He instantly dismounted, embraced
us, with the tears flowing from his eyes, and cried out: "O, my
companions and brothers, how I have longed to see you, and to receive
some intelligence of you!"

Cortes looked exceedingly ill, and we felt sorely grieved to see him
thus. He had been suffering from a violent fever, which had nearly
proved fatal to him, and he felt the more downcast, as he had not
received any intelligence whatsoever as to how matters s