the licentiate promised soon to undertake the mission.[1] As an additional precaution, Garay took a special oath of allegiance from the men to uphold his cause, and then somewhat relieved he resumed the voyage. After being tossed by a storm, he entered Rio de las Palmas[2] on St James' day, July 25th, and sent Gonzalo de Ocampo[3] to explore. Their report was so unsatisfactory that the soldiers demanded vociferously to be led to Pánuco.[4] Unable to resist the appeal, and not particularly captivated by the country, he landed the greater part of the force and proceeded southward, keeping close to the shore, while Juan de Grijalva conducted the fleet to Rio Pánuco. For two or three days they floundered through a swampy country, and crossing a wide stream[5] in some shaky canoes, they reached a recently deserted village, wherein an abundance of provisions rewarded the toilers. Some Indians who had been at the Spanish settlements were brought in, and conciliated with presents to advance and reassure the natives. On reaching the next village, however, the soldiers began to pillage, regardless of appeals from the leader. Either intimidated or naturally mild, the natives remained to serve the army and to assist it onward. The route proved so bad that a number of horses
- ↑ Herrera, dec. iii. lib. v. cap. v. A letter from Bono de Quejo, instigated no doubt by Cortés, assisted not a little to frighten the adelantado.
- ↑ The present Rio la Marina, or Santander. On the map of Fernando Colon, 1527, Las Palmas; Ribero, 1529, R. de Palmas; Munich Atlas, 1535, palmas; Agnese, 1540, palmas; Vaz Dourado, 1571, Ro de Palmas; Hood, 1592, R. de Palmas; Ogilby, 1671, R. Escondido, marked near the head waters, Culias Vachus Gracos S Iohn Enda; Laet, 1633, R. de Palmas, and south, R. de Montanhas; Jefferys, 1776, Rio de las Palmas, at the mouth Esmotes L., tributary Rio de las Nasas; Kiepert, 1852, Rio Rapido, or Iglesias. Cartog. Pac. Coast, MS., i. 602-3. It must not be confounded with Rio de la Palma in southern Vera Cruz, as a careless writer appears to do in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, 2da ép., i. 474.
- ↑ A relative, says Gomara.
- ↑ A declaration in Provision, ubi sup., 103, states that several persons wished him to settle there, but he refused. There is no doubt that the soldiers objected to remain in a region devoid both of gold and superior culture, so that Garay had to yield. Bernal Diaz places here the creation of a municipality, and the renewal of allegiance.
- ↑ Named Montalto from its source in the high mountains five leagues off. Gomara, Hist. Mex., 225, This is evidently the Montanhas of Laet's map.
