Читать книгу The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne - López de Gómara Francisco - Страница 21

Captaine Cortez and his company beeyng embarked, sayled weastwards as nye the shoar as thei might. And this coast hauing no harbors, they founde no place where they might Anker safely with their greater vessels, vntil they arriued vpon Mandie thursday at Saint Iohn de Vlhua, whiche séemed a good harbor for them. The Indians of this place call this harbour Chalchicoeca, there the fleete came to Anker. They were not so soone at Roade, but incontinente came two little boates named Acalles, enquiring for the Generall of the Fleete, who when they came to hys presence, dyd humble reuerence vnto him, and sayde vnto hym that Teudilli the Gouernoure of that Prouince sente to knowe what people they were, and what they woulde haue, and whether they meante to stay there or procéede farther. Aguillar dyd not well vnderstande that language. Cortez caused them to come aboorde hys Shyppe, gyuyng them thankes for theyr paynes and visitation. Hée made vnto them a banket of Wyne and Conserua, and sayde vnto them, that the nexte day followyng hee would come alande, and talke with the Gouernoure, whome hée besoughte not to alter him nor hys people wyth hys commyng a shore, for he meant not to molest hym, but rather to pleasure and profyte hym. To that these messengers were rewarded wyth certayne gyftes, they eate and dranke, but yet suspected euill, although they lyked the Wyne well, wherefore they desired to haue thereof, and also of the Conserua, to presente vnto theyr Lorde, whyche was giuen them, and so departed.

The nexte daye béeyng good Friday, Cortez came alande wyth hys Boates full of menne, and broughte hys Horses and artillerie a shore by little and little, wyth all hys menne of warre, and two hundred Indians of Cuba, whyche serued to toyle and laboure. Hée planted hymselfe in the best scituation that hée coulde fynde among the Sandy bankes on the Sea syde, and there pytched hys Campe, and hauyng néere that place manye trées, they builte them Cotages with boughes.

VVisedome

The comming of the Gouernor

A straunge salutation

From a little Village that was at hand, came many Indians to gaze at things so straunge, and the like neuer séene vnto them, and brought with thē gold to barter for suche toyes, as the two little Boates had broughte from them before. They brought also bread and meate readie dressed after their vse likewise to sell. Oure men chaunged wyth them beadestones of glasse, looking glasses, sissers, kniues, pinnes, and suche other wares, whereof the Indians were not a little glad, returning home to their houses, shewing their neighbours. The ioy and pleasure that these simple soules tooke with these trifles, was so greate, that the next day they came agayne wyth other Indians ladē with Iewels of gold, Turkie Hennes, bread, meate, and fruite, that suffised for all the Campe, and for the same they receyued nedels, and beadestones of glasse, but the poore soules thought themselues therewith so riche, that they knewe not where they were with ioy and pleasure, yea and they thoughte that they hadde deceyued the Straungers. Nowe Cortez séeyng the greate quantitie of golde broughte and bartered so foolishly for trifles of no valewe, proclaymed throughout all hys host, that no Christian shoulde take any golde vppon greate penaltie, and that they shoulde all shewe, as though they knewe not to what purpose the golde serued, and that they passed not for it, bycause they shoulde not thynke that the desire thereof had broughte them thyther, and so they did dissemble that great demonstration of golde, to sée what was meante thereby, and whether the Indians hadde brought that golde, to proue whether theyr commyng was for that or no. On Easter day in the morning, came Teudilli the Gouernour to the Campe, from Cotosta hys dwellyng place, whyche was eyght leagues from thence. He brought attendyng vpon his person foure thousande men without weapon, and the most part well clothed, some of them with garments of Cotton, riche after their manner. And others naked, laden with victuals in great abundance, whiche was straunge to sée. Teudilli according to their vsance, did his reuerence to the Captaine, burning frankinsence, and little strawes touched in bloud of his owne bodye, he presented vnto him the victuals, and certayne Iewels of golde very riche and well wrought, and other things made of feathers very curious straunge and artificiall. Cortez embraced him in his armes, and receyued hym ioyfully, saluting all hys company. He gaue to Teudilli a coate of silke, a brooche, and a coller of glasse, with many other péeces of Haberdashe wares, whiche was highly estéemed of him.