The
river where I had been cast away was the Rio de Tobasco, where Cortes
landed in the following year, and my host, or rather my captor, was the
cacique or chief of Tobasco, the same man who subsequently presented
Marina to Cortes. Thus it came about that, with the exception of a
certain Aguilar, who with some companions was wrecked on the coast of
Yucatan six years before, I was the first white man who ever dwelt among
the Indians. This Aguilar was rescued by Cortes, though his companions
were all sacrificed to Huitzel, the horrible war-god of the country. But
the name of the Spaniards was already known to the Indians, who looked
on them with superstitious fear, for in the year previous to my being
cast away, the hidalgo Hernandez de Cordova had visited the coast of
Yucatan and fought several battles with the natives, and earlier in the
same year of my arrival, Juan de Grigalva had come to this very river of
Tobasco. Thus it came about that I was set down as one of this strange
new nation of Teules, as the Indians named the Spaniards, and therefore
as an enemy for whose blood the gods were thirsting.
I awoke at dawn much refreshed with sleep, and having washed and clothed
myself in the linen robes that were provided for me, I came into the
large room, where food was given me. Scarcely had I finished my meal
when my captor, the cacique, entered, accompanied by two men whose
appearance struck terror to my heart.
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