hey might carry off the ship, and even succeeded so
far as to cut one of the cables. The men on board de Avilas ship behaved
themselves well, and overset two of the canoes, yet required the aid of
fire-arms from the other ships before they could drive away the Indians.
At last, many of the Indians being wounded, they desisted from their rash
enterprise, and made for the land. From this place the Spaniards sailed
along the coast till they came to a large point of land which they found
very difficult to double, and the pilot Alaminos represented that it was
very inconvenient to proceed any farther in that direction. The captains
and pilots now consulted as to what was best to be done, some of whom were
for returning along the coast in search of a proper place in which to
settle a colony. Montejo and Avila differed from this opinion,
representing that winter was approaching, that provisions were growing
scarce, and one of the ships very leaky; for all which reasons it was
advisable to return to Cuba; the more especially because the natives of
this coast were numerous and warlike, and the Spaniards were so much
fatigued by having been so long at sea, that they were not able to
maintain their ground. Added to this, Grijalva considered that his
instructions were positive not to attempt any settlement; and this being
backed by the opinion of his captains, Montejo and Avila, he determined to
return. Tacking about, therefore, he came back to the great river of
_Guazacoallo_, but could not enter it on account of bad weather. They
proceeded thence to the river of Tonala, which they had named St Anthony,
where they careened their leaky ship. While here, many Indians came to
them from the town, which was a league off, bringing fowls, bread, and
other provisions, which they bartered for Spanish toys; and the news
having spread over the country, others came from Guazacoallo, and other
neighbouring towns, bringing provisions, small gold plates, and very
bright copper axes with painted handles. Thinking these axes had been pale
gold, the Spaniards purchased six hundred of them, and the natives would
willingly have sold them more.

While at this place, one Bartholomew Prado went to a temple which stood in
the fields, whence he brought some of the perfume used by the Indians,
named _copal_, or, as some call it, _gum anime_. He also brought away the
knives of flint, with which the priests sacrifice men to their false gods,
by ripping them o