me Indian fishermen of the village
Tlacotalpa gave him fish: we could perceive this, though at a great
distance from him. Alvarado was followed by two more of our ships; we
were therefore obliged to wait until they returned. This digression
without the general's leave occasioned ill blood; and Grijalva forbade
Alvarado in future to sail in advance of the squadron, fearing he might
meet with some accident or other before the rest could possibly come up
to his assistance. From this time the four vessels kept close together.
We soon after arrived at the mouth of another river, which we termed the
Bandera's Stream, (Flag Stream,) from the circumstance that the banks of
the river were crowded with Indians bearing small flags of white cloth
attached to their lances. They called out and invited us to come on
shore: but I will relate in the next chapter what further took place
here.

CHAPTER XIII.

_How we arrive on the Bandera's Stream, and gain 1500 pesos._

By this time the existence of the great city of Mexico must be known
throughout the major part of the Spanish provinces and the greater part
of Christendom: how, like Venice, it was built in the water; and of the
mighty monarch who resided there, king of many provinces and lord of all
these countries, which in extent were more than quadruple that of Spain.
The name of this monarch was Motecusuma: his power was so great that he
would gladly have extended it to places where it was impossible, and he
wished to know things which he never could learn. He had, however, heard
of our first visit under the command of Cordoba, and of our battle at
Cotoche and Champoton, also of the second engagement we had had at the
last-mentioned spot. He was moreover aware that we had been but a
handful of men in comparison with the multitude of the inhabitants; and
lastly, it had been made known to him that we gladly exchanged our goods
for gold. All this information had, from time to time, been sent him by
means of painted figures or signs, drawn, as is the custom with this
people, on a thick kind of cloth manufactured from the maguey,[6] very
much resembling our linen. Being also informed that we were continuing
our course along the coast, he issued orders to the governors of the
several districts that at every place where we landed they should
exchange their gold for our glass beads, but particularly for the green
ones, which so much resembled their chalchihuis stones; and furt