them a quantity of provisions, such as fowls, bread, pines, sapotes, and other fruit.  They were reclining on mats under the shade of some trees, and made signs for us to sit down by them, and as on former occasions, perfumed us with fragrant gums.  On this occasion our whole intercourse was by signs, as our interpreters from Cotoche in Yucutan, did not understand the Mexican language.  Our friendly reception being reported to Grijalva, he immediately landed with all the rest of the soldiers, and on his rank being made known to the Indians, he was treated with extraordinary respect, which he returned with much politeness, ordering beads and cut glass to be distributed among them, and expressing a desire to obtain gold in return.  On this occasion he procured gold in various articles of workmanship, to the value of 15,000 crowns.  On this occasion, also, he made a formal act of possession of these territories for his majesty, under the governor of Cuba; and, having distributed some European shirts among the principal natives, we all returned on board.  We were accompanied by one of the natives, who was baptized by the name of Francisco, whom I saw settled and married at the town of Santa Fe, after the conquest of Mexico.

After remaining six days at this place, we proceeded along the coast, passing a low island about three leagues from the main which we named Isla blanca, or the White Island.  About a league and a half farther on, we came to a larger island, where Grijalva landed with a party of soldiers.  On this island there were two well constructed buildings of stone and lime, having each steps to ascend to the top, on each of which there was an altar placed before certain hideous idols, where were also the bodies of five miserable persons who had been sacrificed the night before, having their hearts cut out, their limbs separated from their bodies, and their blood sprinkled on the walls and altars.  We named this Isla de los Sacrificios, or Sacrifice Island.  We landed on the coast opposite to this island, where we built huts for ourselves and remained for some days, expecting the natives to trade with us for gold.  Many of them came to visit us, but they brought very little of that metal, and seemed very shy and timid, on which account we reimbarked and continued our voyage.

When we arrived at that part of the coast which is opposite the island of St Juan de Ulua, where Vera Cruz now stands, we lodged ourselves in huts on the sand hills, having discovered good anchorage at this place, defended from the north winds.  Grijalva, with about thirty of us, went over to examine the island, where we found a temple containing a large and hideous image of a god called Tezcatepuca[4].  We found at this place four Indian priests in long black mantles, like Dominicans, who had that day sacrificed two boys, offering up their hearts to that accursed idol.  They offered to perfume us with their incense