the rejoicing it caused, especially when they told us that all the people were peaceable and well disposed. With the Indians of Acalan there came two of their notables sent by a chief of the province, called Apaspolon, to tell me that he greatly rejoiced at my coming as many days had passed since he first heard of me from the traders of Tabasco and Xiculango, and he would be glad to know me, and he sent me some gold which they gave me. I received them with pleasure thanking their lord for the good disposition he showed towards Your Majesty's service; and, giving them some small presents I sent them back, very contented, accompanied by the Spaniards who had come with them. They left full of admiration at beholding the bridge, which contributed largely towards the confidence which afterwards prevailed, for, as their country lies among lakes and swamps they might have taken refuge among them, but, seeing that work, they were convinced that nothing was impossible to us.
About this time, there also arrived a messenger from the town of Santisteban del Puerto, on the River Panuco, bringing me letters from the judges of those parts, and with him came some four or five Indian messengers who brought me letters from Temixtitan, Medellin, and the town of Espiritu Santo, from which I was much pleased to learn that they were well, although I had no news from the factor and the inspector, for they had not yet arrived at Temixtitan.
The day after the Indians and Spaniards who were going ahead to Acalan had left, I started, with the rest of the people, to follow in the same direction. I slept one night in the woods, and the next day, a little after noon, we arrived at the plantations and farms of the Province of Acalan, from which we were still separated by a large morass, the crossing of which gave us much trouble, though we accomplished it by making a detour
