ilver, or pearls were to
be found, there might be amongst us a qualified person to take charge of
the fifths for the Emperor.[1] After everything had been thus properly
ordered and we had heard mass said, we commended ourselves to God, our
Lord Jesus Christ, and the virgin Mary his blessed mother, and set out
on our voyage, as I shall further relate.

[1] During the first conquests of the Spaniards in New Spain, one half
of the profits arising from the gold mines was paid to the crown; but
the ill effects of this exorbitant demand soon began to show themselves,
and it was reduced to one third, and then to a fifth, called the real
quinto, which continued for a length of time, until it was further
reduced. I must take this opportunity of observing, that the Spanish
"peso" is equal to about 4s. 6d. of our money. (p. 3.)

CHAPTER II.

_Of the Discovery of Yucatan, and the battle we fought there with
the Natives._

We sailed in the year 1517 from the harbour of Jaruco and left the
Havannah. This harbour lies on the north coast of Cuba, and is so called
by the natives. After twelve days' sail we had passed the coast of Saint
Antonius, which in Cuba is called the country of the Guanatavies, a wild
tribe of Indians. We now made for the wide ocean, steering continually
towards the west, totally ignorant of the shoals and currents or of the
winds which predominate in this latitude. Certainly most hazardous on
our part, and indeed we were very soon visited by a terrible storm,
which continued two days and two nights, in which the whole of us had
nigh perished.

After the storm had abated and we had changed our course, we came in
sight of land on the twenty-first day after our departure from Cuba,
which filled every heart with joy and thanks towards God. This country
had never been discovered before, nor had any one ever heard of it. From
our ships we could perceive a considerable sized town, which lay about
six miles from the sea shore. On account of its magnitude, and because
it was larger than any town in Cuba, we gave it the name of _Grand
Cairo_.

We resolved that our smallest vessel should near the shore as much as
possible, to learn the nature of the spot and look out for a good
anchorage. One morning, the 5th of March, we perceived five large canoes
full of men coming towards us as swift as their paddles and sails could
bring them from the town just mentioned. These canoes were hollowed out
of the tr