Page:Vol 1 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/142

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GRIJALVA EXPLORES THE MEXICAN GULF.

here seen were supposed by the Spaniards to be places where merchants and hunters made their sacrifices. A greyhound, eager in the pursuit of game, neglected to return in time and was left behind; when the Spaniards came with Cortés they found the animal well-fed and happy, but excessively glad to see them. Before departing, Grijalva again declared for Spain, "as if," growls Las Casas, "the thousand possessions already taken were not enough." Indeed, this fierce charging on a continent, so often repeated,' hurling upon the inhabitants a new religion and a new king, was about as effective as Caligula's advance on Britain, when, preparatory to crossing, he drew up his troops in battle array, on the seaboard, and gave orders to collect shells, the spoils of conquered ocean.

Proceeding the 8th of June, and creeping stealthily along the coast,[1] dropping anchor at night and weighing it with the dawn, they came to a river which they called San Pedro y San Pablo, and then to a larger one, the native name of which was Tabasco,[2] a,fter the cacique of the city, but which the Spaniards called Grijalva, in honor of their commander.

The face of nature here changed. The low, gray hills of the peninsula gave place to elevations of enlivening green, made lustrous by large and frequent

    is the town and point of Jicalango. Ogilby calls the lagoon Lago de Xicalanigo, east of which is the name Nra, Sra de la Vitoria; Dampier places south of Laguna Termina the town Chukahbl; Jefferys writes in large letters, a little south of Laguna de Xicalango or Terminos, the words Quehaches Indios Bravos. Kohl thinks Puerto Escondido may be the Puerto Deseado of Grijalva mentioned by Gomara.

  1. Of 'la isola riccha chiamata Ualor,' as the chaplain calls it, Diaz, Itinerario, in Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., i. '295, 'descoprir una altra terra che se dice Mulua.' Alaminos believed New Spain to be another island distinct from Yucatan. The natives called it Coluá, says Las Casas. Hist. Ind., iv. 428.
  2. On the chart of Cortés, 1520, it is called R:. de Guzalua, and placed west instead of east of Rio Santa Ana. Ribero writes, R:. de qrisalua; Vaz Dourado, Ro. de grigalua; Hood, R. de Grisalua; Mercator's Atlas, 1574, has a town, Tausco; Ogilby, Dampier, and Jefiferys employ the name Tabasco. Kohl ascribes the name of the river San Pedro y San Pablo to Grijalva. Colon has R:. de s. pablo; Ribero, R. de s:. Pabo; Munich Atlas, No. iv., rio de s p.; Baptista Agnese, rio de S. paulo; Hood, R. de S. Pablo; Ogilby, S. Paulo; Dampier, St. Peter, St. Paul, etc. As there are plenty of streams in that vicinity Herrera gives one to Grijalva and still leaves the chieftain, Tabasco, his own.