her he
commanded them to gain every information with respect to our intentions.
What made him dwell more particularly upon the latter was the ancient
tradition in the country, which spoke of a people that would come from
the rising of the sun who would at some future period get the dominion
of the country.

For whatever purpose it may have been I will leave, but certain it is
that the powerful Motecusuma had ordered sentinels to be posted along
the banks of the river above mentioned. These sentinels had all small
flags attached to the points of their lances, and called out aloud,
inviting us to come to them. While we were contemplating from our
vessels this, to us, so novel a sight, our commander-in-chief with the
other officers and soldiers came to the determination to inquire their
meaning. We therefore lowered two of our boats and manned them with
twenty soldiers, well armed with crossbows and muskets. The command of
this was given to Francisco de Montejo. I was likewise among the number.
Our instructions were to send immediate information to the
commander-in-chief if anything of a hostile nature should take place and
in general to let him know how matters stood. It pleased God that the
weather should be calm, which is seldom the case on these coasts. We all
got safe on shore, and were met by three caziques, one of whom was a
governor under Motecusuma. These were attended by great numbers of
Indians, carrying fowls, maise-bread, pines, sapotas, and other
provisions; they spread some mats in the shade of the trees, on which
they invited us to sit down. All this was done by signs, as Julianillo
did not understand their language. Next they brought pans made of clay,
filled with glowing embers, on which they strewed a species of resin,
smelling very much like our incense, with which they perfumed us.

Francisco de Montejo sent information of all this to our
commander-in-chief, who immediately resolved to run the whole squadron
into the bay, and proceed on shore with all our men.

When the caziques and the governor saw our general on shore, who, they
had been given to understand, was our chief officer, they paid him in
their way the greatest possible respect, and perfumed him most
vehemently. We thanked them kindly, and in return made many
protestations of friendship, also presenting each with white and green
glass beads, desiring them at the same time to bring us gold in exchange
for our commodities. Motecusuma's gove