Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/37

Rh confident they were, we naturally recalled the attack upon us a few days back, and our wounds which had not yet healed, and how two of our men had died of injuries. And as the number of Indians kept on increasing, we became alarmed and resolved to retreat in best possible order. In such form we marched along the coast to where our casks lay, and finally managed to get our water safe on board the ships and ourselves re-embarked.

Six days and six nights we continued our course with fair weather. But suddenly the wind veered to the north, and during a storm which lasted four days and nights we nearly found a sea-grave. To save ourselves we cast anchor near the shore. Our ropes were old, for in our fitting out we had not money enough to buy new, strong cables. Two of them gave way, and our ship began to drag her anchor. If the last rope were to yield, we should be cast away! Oh, how perilously were we placed! But Providence willed that our aged and worn cable should hold, and when the storm abated we were able to proceed on our voyage.

As we coasted along we espied a village, and beyond it an inner harbor. We now saw that again we needed a fresh supply of water, for our casks were old, as I said, and wasted in leakage. We resolved to land, hoping to find at the head of the harbor a brook, or river, or fresh water. We did find