Of our Landing at Vera Crux, othermfe St. Johtf
de Ulhua, and of our entertainment there. ?
UPon the twelfth day of September* we happily arrived in
America'm thatfamousTown called Sr. John &eVlhm $
©therwife VeraCrttx • famous for that ic was the firft begins
ning of the famous Gonqueft of that Valiant and ever re-
nowned Conqueror Hernando fcortez» Here firft was that
Noble and Generous refolution,- that never heard of Policy, to
fink the Ships which had brought the firft Spaniards to thac
Continent, greater then any of the other three parts of the
World to the intent that they mighfthink of nothing but fucB
a Conqucft as after followed, being deftitute of the help of
their Ships, and without hopes evermore to return to Cuba¿
Y#catan y or any of thofe parts from whence they had cornea
Here it was that the firft five hundred Spaniards ftrengthned
themfelves againft millions of enemies, and againft the big-
geft fourth part of all the World. Here were the firft Magi-
strates, Judges, Aldermen, Officers of Juftice named. The
proper name of the Town is St. John de Vlht$a y other-
wife called Vera Crux from the old Harbour and Haven
oí Vera Crux f fix leagues from this, and fo called^ fjr
that upon good Friday it was firft discovered. But the
old Vera Crux proving too dangerous an Harbour forShipSj
by reafon of the violence of the Northern winds ^ it was
utterly forfaken by the Spaniards, who removed to St. Johré
4e Vlhaay where their Ships found the firft fafe Road by
reafon of a Rock, which is a ftrong defence againft the
winds- And becauíe the memory of the work of that
good Friday ihouid never be forgotten, to St. John deVlhna
they have added the name alio of Vera Crtix, taken front
that firft Haven which was difcovered upon good Friday^
hi
Page:A New Survey of the West Indies or The English American his Travel by Sea and Land.djvu/64
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
48
A New Survey
Chap. VIII.