The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

1/25/22, 8:50 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a true an…
Marina, whom they informed that they were inhabitants of a township which lay onan
island sixteen miles further on. Our general then despatched thelesser of the two canoes,
with four of the Indians and two Spaniards,thither, in order to request the caziques to come
with their canoes andferry us over the water, and our men were to present them with some
Spanish toys, and assure them that no harm should be done theirpersons.
The whole of the troops now marched forward until they arrived onthe banks of the broad
river, where, to our great joy, we found the caziques, besides several other distinguished
personages waiting forus with five canoes, a supply of maise, and a number of fowls. Our
general addressed the caziques very affectionately; and, after they hadheld some excellent
discourses with him, he embarked with thirty crossbow-men in the canoes, and so
proceeded with the chiefs to theirtown. When arrived there, they set before him the best of
everythingin the shape of provisions, and presented him with several of theircloaks and a
small quantity of gold, though of inferior quality.According to their assurances, there were
men like ourselves in twodifferent townships, namely, in Nito, which we called San Gil de
BuenaVista, lying on the north coast, and in Naco, which lay in the interiorof the country.
According to their account, these two towns were tendays' journey distant from each other.
We were very much surprisedthat Oli should thus have divided his troops, we being at that
momentignorant of the existence of Buena Vista, founded by Avila.
[Pg 257]
The whole of our troops passed the broad river in canoes, and weencamped for the night
eight miles further on to wait for Cortes, who still continued at the township above
mentioned. On returning to themain body, he ordered one of the horses, which had likewise
been overheatedin chasing the deer, to be left behind. While we were stayinghere, one of
our negroes and two female slaves ran away. Even threeSpaniards chose rather to stay here
and run the risk of being murderedby the Indians than to undergo the fatigues of our march
for anotherthree days. I myself was far from well; the excessive heat of the sunhad affected
my head, and I scarcely knew how to bear myself. Buteven this distressing heat was more
welcome to us than the torrents ofrain which began to fall, and lasted, without intermission,
for threedays; nevertheless, we were obliged to continue our march, as we hadnot a morsel
of food left. In the space of two days we arrived at somesmall hills, which were completely
covered with stones, and these sosharp that they cut like razors. Our men gave themselves
considerabletrouble in searching for some other road in order to avoid these stones,but all
their endeavours were fruitless, though they went to a distanceof above four miles. This
part of our march was most dangerous forthe horses; for, as it still continued to rain, they
constantly stumbled, and were sure to cut their knees, and even their bellies in the most
dreadful manner on the pointed stones; but the descent was stillmore difficult, eight of the
horses being killed and many others shockinglylacerated, and one of the soldiers named
Palacios Rubios, a relative of Cortes, had the misfortune to break his leg. We could not,
therefore, feel sufficiently thankful to the Almighty when at last we got clear of this
mountain of flint, as we ever after termed it.
[Pg 258]
As we had now advanced within a short distance of the townshipTaica, we were not a little
rejoiced at the thoughts that we should againget some food. In the neighbourhood of this
place we came to a riverwhich poured down over the precipices of a very high mountain,
andwas so much swollen by the rain of the three last days that it rolleddown in immense
volumes, and the roaring noise of the flood, as it dashed from one precipice to another,
could be distinctly heard at thedistance of eight miles. There was no other possibility of
passingthis turbulent river but by throwing a bridge across from one rock tothe other. We
accordingly set to work with the utmost diligence, and in the space of three days we
constructed a bridge of the largest trees,and the whole of us passed safely to the other side
of these cataracts.While we were engaged in building this bridge, the Indians of Taicahad
gained sufficient time to run off and conceal all their provisions. When, therefore, we
arrived in this township and met not a singleinhabitant, nor found the smallest particle of
food to still our hunger,we stared at each other in dismay when we considered our dreadful
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