also ordered Ursua to pick out those
persons whom he thought ought to be captains, and Don Roque promised to
confirm the appointments.

Soberanis and Ursua in Agreement at Last. Abad executed his errand and
Don Martin replied that only the very numerous infidel Indians of the
Laguna del Itza stood between him and the successful completion of the
road, which was already open on the north almost as far as the lake and
on the south as far as Cahabon. The intervening region contained the
Itzas, whom Ursua purposed to conquer. He had already chosen as
captains Alonso Garcia de Paredes, Joseph Fernandez de Estenoz, Pedro
de Zuviaur, and Roque Gutierrez. At the same time Don Martin informed
Abad that he had prepared all sorts of supplies and munitions, and he
begged Don Roque de Soberanis to furnish him with advice as to the
proper payment for various things. Don Roque approved of everything
that Don Martin proposed, and he ordered that Abad, together with a
scrivener and an interpreter, should see to the proper financial
arrangements.

The Part to be Taken by Indian Villages. Ursua then asked that the
mountain villages of Tecax and Oxcuscab should be made to supply
service Indians. These, if granted, were to be under the orders of the
captain of Tecax; but Soberanis pointed out that those villages had
already done their share, and so he ordered that the Caciques of
Zotuta, Yaxcava, Tixcacal, and Peto should furnish the needed labor.
The part each was to take was as follows:

Zotuta 16 mules; 16 arrieros; 16 other Indians
Yaxcava 12 " 12 " 12 " "
Tixcacal 12 " 12 " 12 " "
Peto 20 " 20 " 20 " "

All these Indians were to be in charge of Don Juan del Castillo,
captain of Tecax. Indians from Mani were to carry the supplies.

On January 23, 1697, Don Martin de Ursua set forth from Campeche after
giving thanks for aid received. On arriving at Tzucthok they took the
same road as on previous occasions. They camped at length two leagues
from the lake, having passed through Batcab. On the way south they
learned that the cacique of Tzucthok and some of the Indians of that
village had retired to such places as Apelchen, Bolonchen, Chabuhic,
and Sacauchen. Some of the Chanes, however, remained faithful, for
which Ursua rewarded them with presents. At about this time also,
although Ursua probably did not know of it, Berrospe had ordere