Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/310

 where the other Spaniards had been wounded; but they returned having done nothing, and bringing no supplies of provisions except that they captured four Indians in a canoe at sea. Being asked how it was they came back thus, they said that the great rains had swollen the river to a raging torrent, and they could not ascend it more than a league; but, believing it would subside, they had waited eight days without fire or any provisions except such fruits as the forest yielded; some of them were in such a condition that they hardly survived. I found myself so concerned and perplexed that, had it not been for the swine left over from the journey, which we ate with great relish without either bread or salt, we would have all perished from hunger. Through the interpreter, I asked those Indians who had been taken in the canoe, whether they knew of any place in the neighbourhood where we might procure food, promising them that, if they would guide me, I would release them and give them many presents besides. One of them said that he was a trader and the others were his slaves, and that he had gone frequently with his merchant ships and knew all the bay, which extended from there to a large river, in which all the traders like himself took refuge in time of storm, and that, on that river, there were many large towns which were rich and well stocked with provisions where we could find everything we required, and that he would guide us thither. He offered, in proof of his truth, that I might put him in chains and if he had lied I might punish him as he deserved. So I ordered the boats and canoes to be prepared, and, having manned them with all who were still healthy and capable of bearing fatigue, I sent them under the guidance of that man; but ten days later they returned as they had gone, saying that the guide had led them into marshes where neither the barques nor canoes could float, and that, in spite of their efforts, they had never been able to cross.