d the terrors of the Inquisition.--E.

SECTION II.

_Expedition of Juan de Grijalva in 1518_.

Encouraged by the accounts of the new discoveries which had been made in
the last expedition, Velasquez fitted out a new armament of four ships;
two of which had been on the former voyage, and the other two he now
purchased. This expedition was to be commanded in chief by his relation
Juan de Grijalva, under whom Pedro de Alvarado, Francisco de Montejo, and
Alonso de Avila were captains, all persons of known bravery, and
proprietors of estates in these islands. For this equipment, each captain
provided sailors and provisions, and the governor furnished ships, arms,
and other necessaries. The accounts which had been circulated of the
riches of the country, especially from the information of Melchior the
native, soon collected a number of unprovided adventurers from the
different islands, so that 240 _companions_ speedily engaged for the
expedition, among whom I resolved to try my fortune once more. We each
deposited a certain stipulated sum, to provide various necessary articles
for the voyage, and for our use when in the field. The orders given on the
occasion by Velasquez to Grijalva were, to bring back as much gold and
silver as he could procure, and in regard to colonization or settlements,
he left him to act according to circumstances as he might think best. We
had the same pilots as on the former voyage, with a fourth, whose name I
do not remember; Penalosa was our _veedor_, and Juan Diaz our chaplain.
The port of Matanzas was chosen as the most convenient rendezvous, as the
colonists had many plantations and flocks of swine in that neighbourhood.

All our preparations being made, we set sail on the 5th of April 1518,
after hearing mass with great devotion, and in ten days doubled the point
of _Guaniguanico_, which the pilots call Cape St Antonio. In eight days
more we came in sight of the island of _Cozumel_, the currents forcing us
farther down than we had been in our former voyage. On sight of our ships,
the natives fled from a town on the island, but our people found two old
men concealed in a field of maize who were unable to follow the rest. Our
interpreters, Julianillo and Melchiorejo, whom we had made prisoners in
the former voyage, understood the language of these people, as the island
of Cozumel is only four leagues from their country. Grijalva treated these
people well, after which he gave them some p