the language of these people, which was Mexican, and Montejo sent advice to Grijalva of the friendly behaviour of the Indians, on which he brought his ships to anchor, and landed himself.  He was received with great respect by the Mexican governor and other men of note, to whom he presented some glass beads and necklaces of several colours.  The governor ordered the Indians to bring gold to barter with the Spaniards, and in the course of six days stay at this place, they got to the value of 15,000 pieces of eight in gold baubles and toys of various shapes.  Hitherto all things had succeeded so as to do great credit to Grijalva and his companions, yet nothing had been done to satisfy the high expectation which had been formed in Cuba of this expedition.  This prompted Grijalva to lose as little time as possible in proceeding to explore the country; and, having presented the cacique with such things as he had to give, he took formal possession of the country for the king, and for James Velasquez in the king’s name, and embarked to go elsewhere, because the north winds blew upon the land, and rendered his farther stay unsafe.  Proceeding on the voyage, he found an island near the continent having whitish sands, which therefore he called Isla Blancha, or the White Island, and not far off another, four leagues from the continent, which he called Isla Verde, or the Green Island.  Farther on they came to another, a league and a half from the land, and there being a good road-stead opposite, Grijalva brought the ships to anchor, and went on shore in his boat at a place where some smoke was seen.  He there found two houses well built with stone and lime, having many steps which led up to altars, on which there were idols; and they perceived that five men had been sacrificed there that night, their breasts being ripped open, their legs and thighs cut off, and the walls all bloody.  This sight greatly astonished the Christians, who called this place the Island of Sacrifices.  They landed afterwards on the coast opposite that island, making themselves huts of boughs covered with sails, to which some natives resorted to barter gold in small figures; but the natives being shy, and the gold in small quantity, the Spaniards removed to another island only half a league from the coast.  Landing on the shore, they built barracks on the highest part of the strand, to avoid the plague of mosquitos or gnats; and having sounded the harbour, they found sufficient water for the ships, which were sheltered from the north wind by the small island.  Grijalva went over to the small island with thirty soldiers in two boats, where he found an idol temple and four priests clad in very long black mantles with hoods.  That very day they had sacrificed two boys, whom they found ripped open and their hearts taken out, which moved the Spaniards to compassion.  Grijalva asked an Indian who had come with him from the Rio de Banderas, who seemed a good rational person, what was the reason of this barbarous practice, to