they will take deere at their pleasure, and will not grow wearie though they run a whole day. From Apalachen they went to a towne called Aute; and from thence to Xamo a poore countrey with small sustinance. These people bring vp their children very tenderly, and make great lamentation when any of them dieth; they neither weepe nor lament at the death of any olde bodie. Here the people desired the Spanyards to cure their sicke folks, for they had many diseased: and certaine of the Spanyards being in extreme pouertie assaied it, and vsed praier, and it pleased God that they did indeede recouer as well those that were hurt, as those which were otherwise diseased; in so much, that one which was thought verily to be dead, was by them restored to life, as they themselues reporte. They affirme that they passed through many countries and many strange people differing in language, apparell, and customes. And because they plaied the physitions, they were as they passed greatly esteemed and held for Gods, and the people did no hurt vnto them, but would giue them part of such things as they had. Therefore they passed quietly, and trauailed so farre till they came to a people, that vse continually to liue in heards with their cattel as the Arabians doe. They be poore, and eate snakes, lisards, spiders, ants, and al kinde of vermine, and herewith they liue so well contented that commonly they sing and dance. They buie the women of their enimies, and kill their daughters, because they would not haue them marrie with them, whereby they might increase. They trauailed through certaine places, where the women gaue sucke vnto their children til they were ten or twelue yeeres of age; and where certaine men being Hermaphrodities doe marrie one another. These Spaniards trauailed aboue 800. leagues; and there escaped aliue in this iourney not aboue seuen or eight of them. They came vpon the coast of the South sea vnto a citie called Saint Michael of Culuacan standing in 23. degrees and vpward toward the north.
This yeere 1527. when Cortes vnderstpod by the pinnesse aforesaide that Don Garcia de Loaisa was passed by the Streight of Magelan toward the Island of cloues, he prouided three ships to goe seeke him, and to discouer by that way of Newe Spaine as farre as the Isles of Maluco.[1] There went as gouernour in those ships one Aluaro de Saavedra Ceron, cosen vnto Cortes, a man fit for that purpose. He made saile from Ciuatlanejo, now
- ↑ Gomar hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 72. and in the Conquest of Mexico fol. 281.
