We raised anchor and sailed along the coast until we came to a great cape which was very difficult to double [1] for the currents were so strong that we could make no headway. The pilot, Alaminos told the General that it was no use trying to follow our course further, giving many reasons for this opinion. A discussion was held to determine our course of action and it was decided that we should return to Cuba. One reason for this was that the winter rains were already setting in. But we were also short of provisions and one ship was leaking badly. However, the captains were not of one mind. Juan de Grijalva said that he wanted to plant a settlement, but Alonso de Avila and Francisco de Montejo objected, saying that they would not be able to defend it against the great numbers of warriors in that country; moreover, we were, all of us, weary from our long voyage.

So we turned about and sailed before the wind and in a few days, with the aid of good currents, reached the mouth of the River of Coatzacoalcos. But we could not enter it on account of unfavorable weather. So, hugging the shore, we entered the River of Tonala, which we had named San Antonio. There we careened [2] one of the ships, which was taking in water fast, for as we came in it had struck the bar [3], where the sea was very shallow.

While we were repairing the ship many Indians came quite peaceably from the town of Tonala, which is about three miles away, bringing maize-cakes, fish, and fruit, which they gave us freely. The Captain treated them most kindly and ordered that they should be given beads and ‘diamonds.’ He asked them by signs to bring gold for barter and we offered them goods in exchange. So they brought jewels of inferior gold, which they exchanged for beads. Some Indians came also from Coatzacoalcos and other nearby towns bringing their jewelry, but of no value.

Besides the items for barter, most of the Indians were in the habit of carrying highly polished copper axes with painted wooden handles, seemingly for show, or as a sign of status. We began to barter for these in the belief that they were made of low-quality gold. In three days time we had collected more than six hundred of them and were very pleased. The Indians were even more pleased with the beads. However, there was no profit for either party, as the axes were made of copper and the beads were of no value. One sailor bought seven and was quite delighted with them.

I remember that a certain soldier named Bartolome Pardo went to one of their temples, which was on a hill—I have already noted that these were called cues, which means House of the Gods. Here he found many idols and some copal, which is a kind of resin that they burn as incense, also some flint knives used for sacrifice and circumcision. In a wooden chest he discovered a number of gold objects such as diadems [4] and necklaces, two idols and some hollow beads. This soldier kept the gold for himself, but took the idols and other objects to the Captain. However, someone reported the facts to Grijalva, who wanted to take the booty from him. But we begged that he might be allowed to keep it, since he was a decent man, and Grijalva let the poor fellow keep it after deducting the royal fifth. It was worth about a hundred and fifty pesos.

1. Sailing east, then cutting north, than sailing west, would be “doubling” a cape.

2. To careen is to beach a ship parallel to the beach, turning it on its side so that the bottom can be scraped of barnacles and otherwise repaired. The pulleys, blocks and cables used for the operation of the sails are diverted to this task, these being the indispensable material of the ship, rather than the masts and wooden hulk, which are more easily replaced.

3. A bar is a raised, but still submerged, feature of a sea or river bottom, often consisting of “sandy” sediments deposited by the fresh water stream, often found in the mouths of rivers.

4. A diadem is a headband of soft metal, and possibly, in terms of official adornment, the precursor to the ruler’s crown.