assure control he founded a villa which was named Medellin, in honor of the birthplace of himself and Cortés.[1]
From this point the army proceeded southward to the Goazacoalco country, whose advantages with its port and its fertility had been demonstrated by special expeditions during the time of Montezuma. On reaching the Goazacoalco, Sandoval summoned to hin the leading caciques. Several days passed without an answer, and preparations were made for warlike measures. Guided by certain natives, he one night fell upon a town and captured a female chief of great influence. This stroke proved effective, and the rest of the country submitted, with offers of rich presents.[2] In accordance with the instructions received, a town was now founded on the southern bank of the river, four leagues from the mouth, and named Espiritu Santo, from the day on which they had crossed the stream and received the allegiance of the people.[3] The prospects of the town as the future entrepôt for trade between New Spain and the Islands and home country, as well as the resources of the district, gave it a strong attraction, and a number of both leaders and soldiers offered to settle, notably Luis Marin, Francisco de Medina, who afterward met so terrible a fate, Diego de Godoy, to whom, instead of Marin, historians have wrongly given the credit of conquering Chiapas, and Francisco
- ↑ 'Veinte leguas la tierra adentro, en la provincia de Tatalptetelco.' Cortés, Cartas, 313. 'The founding and the installation of the municipality were hastened by the arrival of Cristóbal de Tapia, who intended to supersede Cortés as governor, as will be told elsewhere. It was soon after moved near to Vera Cruz.
- ↑ Herrera, dec. iii. lib. iii. cap. xi. The people came with a large number of canoes to ferry the army across, Cacique Tochel remaining as hostage. Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 166. They paid two years' arrears of taxes, says Ixtlilxochitl Hor. Crueldades, 57. Cortés writes 1520, Rio de Totuqualquo; Orontius, 1531, R. de qualq°; Colon, 1527, R° de gasacalcos; Ribero, 1529, R. de guasacalco; Munich Atlas, x. 1571, R° de quaqaqa; Hood, 1592, R. de Guaca; Ogilby, 1671, R. de Guazacoalco; Dampier, 1699, R. Guazacoalco or Guashigwalp; Laet, 1633, R. Guazacoalco; Jefferys, 1776, R. Guazacalco, with the town of Cayhoca. Goldschmidt's Cartog. Pac. Coast, MS., i. 359.
- ↑ And because on the former anniversary Narvaez had been defeated, adds Bernal Diaz.
Tiltepec, while Bernal Diaz writes that he refused to his later regret Matlatlan and Orizaba. Hist. Verdad., 163-6.
