hree different parts of the
country; but more abundantly in the province of Zacatula, from ten to
twelve days' journey south of Mexico. There the earth which contained
the gold was washed in wooden vessels, and the gold dust sunk to the
bottom. At present gold was likewise brought from the northern province
of Tustepec, near to where we had landed. There it was collected from
the beds of the rivers; and very productive gold mines were also worked
in this province by the Chinantecs and Tzapotecs, two tribes which were
not subject to him. If Cortes was desirous of sending some of his men
there, he was very willing himself to despatch several distinguished
officers with them.

Cortes accepted of this offer, and thanked Motecusuma for his kindness,
and sent off our pilot Gonzalo de Umbria, with two miners, to Zacatula.
This Umbria was the same person whom Cortes sentenced to have his feet
cut off, while we were staying at San Juan de Ulua.[72] He and his
companions were to return within the space of forty days. To the mines
in the north he despatched an officer, named Pizarro, a young man
twenty-five years of age, whom he treated as one of his own relations.

At that time Peru was still unknown, and the name of Pizarro not thought
of. This young officer was accompanied by four miners and an equal
number of distinguished Mexicans. A space of forty days was likewise
allowed him to return to Mexico, as he had to travel a distance of 320
miles.

Motecusuma on that occasion likewise presented Cortes with a piece of
nequen cloth, on which all the rivers and indentures along the coast
running northwards of Panuco to Tabasco, a distance of 560 miles, were
very accurately described and drawn. By this chart our observation was
drawn to the river Guacasualco, and as we were well acquainted with all
the harbours and indentures there noted down, from our voyage under
Grijalva, but knew nothing of that river, which the Mexicans described
as very broad and deep, Cortes determined also to send some one there to
make soundings at its mouth, and further explore the country; Diego de
Ordas, a man of great intelligence and courage, offered himself for this
purpose, if two of our men, and some Mexicans, might accompany him.

Cortes was at first very loth to part with him, as he was so useful to
him in various ways, but at last gave his consent, to keep him in good
humour. Motecusuma likewise expressed his fears about this journey, as
the la