he was forced to re-embark and go away.  Sailing from thence he came to the river of Panuco, 500 leagues from Cape Florida, sailing all the way along the coast, and endeavouring to land in various places, but the natives repulsed him in every place.  Many of his people were killed and eaten by the savages in Chila, the natives hanging up their skins in the temples of their gods, as a memorial of their own valour.  Yet Garay visited this place next year, as he had seen some indications of gold and silver, and even applied to the emperor to be appointed governor of the coast he had discovered.  In February 1519[32], Fernando Cortez sailed from Cuba for the country now called New Spain, with eleven ships and 550 Spaniards.  He landed first in the island of Cozumel, where he immediately destroyed all the idols, and planted crosses and images of the Virgin on all the altars.  From thence he went to the Cabo de las Duennas, on the peninsula of Yucatan, and thence to the river of Tabasco, where he attacked a city called Potoncion.  This place was surrounded with wood; the houses were built of stone and lime, and roofed with tiles, and the people resisted the assailants manfully; but St James appeared on horseback to the assistance of the Spaniards, and they took the place.  This, as the first town subdued by them on the continent, they named Vittoria.  From thence they went to a place named St Juan de Vilhua, said to be 60 or 70 leagues from Mexico, where one Tendilli was governor for King Mutecuma.  Though the Spaniards and he could not understand each other, yet Tendilli gave them good entertainment.  Cortes had twenty women along with his expedition, one of whom, named Marine, was born in the country of the Indians, and was the first native of New Spain who received baptism.  She and Anguilar served as interpreters between Cortes and the natives.  Tendilli sent immediate intelligence to Mutecuma, that there had arrived in his country a bearded people, for so they called the Castilians.  On the reception of this news, Mutecuma was greatly troubled, for his gods, or devils rather, had revealed that a people of the description of these Spaniards was to overthrow his law and dominion, and to become lords of the country; wherefore Mutecuma sent gifts to the value of twenty thousand ducats to Cortes, but refused any interview.

As the ships could not ride in safety at St Juan de Vilhua, Cortes sent Francis de Montejo, and the pilot Antonio Alaminos, in two brigantines, to look out for a safe anchorage.  They went to Panuco, in lat. 23 deg.  N. whence they came back to Culvacan as a safer harbour.  But Cortes went by land westwards to a city named Zempoallan, where he was well received.  From thence he went to Chiavitztlan, with the lord of which town, and of all the surrounding country, he entered into a league against Mutecuma.  On the arrival of his ships at the appointed haven, he went there and built a town, which he named Villa rica de la Vera Cruz.  From thence he sent a vessel to Spain with presents, and a letter to the Emperor Charles V. giving an account of his proceedings, and of his determination to visit Mutecuma, and soliciting a commission as governor of the country[33].