ll
distinguishes this extensive and opulent province of the Spanish
dominions.

They landed to the west of Tabasco, where they were received with the
respect due to superior beings; the people perfumed them as they landed
with incense of gum copal, and presented to them offerings of the
choicest delicacies of their country.

They were extremely fond of trading with their new visitants, and in six
days, the Spaniards obtained ornaments of gold, and of curious
workmanship, to the amount of fifteen thousand pesoes, an immense sum,
in exchange for European toys of small price.

They learned from the natives that they were the subjects of a great
monarch, whose dominions extended over that and many other provinces.

Grijalva now returned with a full account of the important discoveries
he had made, and with all the treasure he had acquired by trafficking
with the natives.

The favourable account of New Spain brought by Grijalva, determined
Velasquez, the governor of Cuba, seriously to undertake the conquest of
that country, but as he did not wish to take the command himself, he
endeavoured to find a person who would act under his directions.

After much deliberation he fixed upon Fernando Cortez, a man of restless
and ardent spirit, on whom he had conferred many benefits; but these
Cortez soon forgot, and was no sooner invested with the command than he
threw off the authority of Velasquez altogether.

The greatest force that could be collected for the conquest of a great
empire, amounted to no more than five hundred and eight men, only
thirteen of whom were armed with muskets; thirty-two were cross-bowmen,
and the rest had swords and spears; they had only sixteen horses, and
ten small field-pieces.

With such a slender and ill provided force did Cortez set sail to make
war upon a monarch whose dominions were more extensive than all the
kingdoms subject to the Spanish crown.

On his voyage Cortez first landed on the island of Cozumel, where he
redeemed from slavery Jerome de Aguilar, a Spaniard, who had been eight
years a prisoner among the Indians, and having learned the Yucatan
language (which is spoken in all those parts), proved afterwards
extremely useful as an interpreter.

He then proceeded to the river of Tabasco, where the disposition of the
natives proved very hostile, and they showed the most determined
resistance; but the noise of the artillery, the appearances of the
floating fortresses which brought