stone with roofs of thatch. They did return with some garments of cotton and a few pieces of gold jewelry found in the houses. There were several of what they believed to be temples and a high tower; but in those they found nothing. Outside the village there were fields of maize, orchards, and many beehives.
Cortes was pleased but also a bit surprised that the villagers had run away to hide in the woods. This was the same place where Juan de Grijalba had ventured to earlier. Fearing an ambush, he ordered fifty men and their horses to land, not only to search out the countryside but also to rest the animals and let them pasture. Casca was in the search party, being one of those who owned his own animal. He and ten others found five women and three children hiding in the brush. These they returned to Cortes, who naturally could not understand them. He managed by using signs, making them understand that he was not going to do them or their children any harm. One of the women was clearly the mistress of the others, and from the way the children clung to her, it was certain that she was also their mother. Casca watched with approval as Cortes put the weeping woman at her ease by giving her gifts of clothing, several small mirrors, and scissors, which astonished her when she understood their use. Once she no longer was in fear for her life, she requested permission to send one of her servants to speak to her lord and master to tell of the manner in which she had been treated.
It was several hours before six native men came to the town to see whether what the servant had said was true and whether the wife of the calachuni was actually being treated as an honored guest. They were given small gifts and sent back with the word that the Spaniards had come as friends and that the calachuni himself should come and see that he had no reason to fear them. The next morning the chief came, bringing gifts of honey, bread, and fish. This was the first opportunity Juan and Casca had to see Cortes in his element, that of winning the natives to his side. He was a natural diplomat. He ordered that all the things taken from the houses be brought to him, including the few items of gold and silver they had found. These he laid out so that their owners could identify and reclaim their possessions. These simple acts, so contrary to what Casca had seen of the normal Spanish method of dealing with what they considered to be inferior beings (and they considered everyone in the world inferior beings), left him sanguine. He had high hopes for his commander if Cortes conducted all of his business in the same manner.
Francisco de Cordoba, one of Cortes's captains, had in his company a man named Melchior, who had spent time as a fisherman in the coastal waters near Yucatan and had a small grasp of the tongue of the people of these regions. Although Melchior's abilities were limited, it was better than nothing. It was through him, accompanied by many signs and sand drawings, that Cortes was able to make most of his words known. The natives were impressed by the Spaniards, with their beards and fair skin, and especially by the horses, which they would watch for hours at a time. It was clear that they considered the Spaniards to be more than just ordinary men and therefore were not very upset when Cortes ordered their idols smashed and replaced with the cross. In this, Juan joined in with a fervor, for he was a good Catholic. Casca watched it all and wondered if all the natives they met would be as ready as these were to accept the new religion the Spaniards were offering them. Old ways die hard.
The Cacique, whose wife Cortes had treated so nobly, came to him after they had been there about ten days. He made signs to Cortes, pointing toward Yucatan, that he had heard of four or five other bearded men there. Upon considering how vital to his plans it would be to have someone who really could communicate with the natives, Cortes at last coaxed the Cacique into
Cortes was pleased but also a bit surprised that the villagers had run away to hide in the woods. This was the same place where Juan de Grijalba had ventured to earlier. Fearing an ambush, he ordered fifty men and their horses to land, not only to search out the countryside but also to rest the animals and let them pasture. Casca was in the search party, being one of those who owned his own animal. He and ten others found five women and three children hiding in the brush. These they returned to Cortes, who naturally could not understand them. He managed by using signs, making them understand that he was not going to do them or their children any harm. One of the women was clearly the mistress of the others, and from the way the children clung to her, it was certain that she was also their mother. Casca watched with approval as Cortes put the weeping woman at her ease by giving her gifts of clothing, several small mirrors, and scissors, which astonished her when she understood their use. Once she no longer was in fear for her life, she requested permission to send one of her servants to speak to her lord and master to tell of the manner in which she had been treated.
It was several hours before six native men came to the town to see whether what the servant had said was true and whether the wife of the calachuni was actually being treated as an honored guest. They were given small gifts and sent back with the word that the Spaniards had come as friends and that the calachuni himself should come and see that he had no reason to fear them. The next morning the chief came, bringing gifts of honey, bread, and fish. This was the first opportunity Juan and Casca had to see Cortes in his element, that of winning the natives to his side. He was a natural diplomat. He ordered that all the things taken from the houses be brought to him, including the few items of gold and silver they had found. These he laid out so that their owners could identify and reclaim their possessions. These simple acts, so contrary to what Casca had seen of the normal Spanish method of dealing with what they considered to be inferior beings (and they considered everyone in the world inferior beings), left him sanguine. He had high hopes for his commander if Cortes conducted all of his business in the same manner.
Francisco de Cordoba, one of Cortes's captains, had in his company a man named Melchior, who had spent time as a fisherman in the coastal waters near Yucatan and had a small grasp of the tongue of the people of these regions. Although Melchior's abilities were limited, it was better than nothing. It was through him, accompanied by many signs and sand drawings, that Cortes was able to make most of his words known. The natives were impressed by the Spaniards, with their beards and fair skin, and especially by the horses, which they would watch for hours at a time. It was clear that they considered the Spaniards to be more than just ordinary men and therefore were not very upset when Cortes ordered their idols smashed and replaced with the cross. In this, Juan joined in with a fervor, for he was a good Catholic. Casca watched it all and wondered if all the natives they met would be as ready as these were to accept the new religion the Spaniards were offering them. Old ways die hard.
The Cacique, whose wife Cortes had treated so nobly, came to him after they had been there about ten days. He made signs to Cortes, pointing toward Yucatan, that he had heard of four or five other bearded men there. Upon considering how vital to his plans it would be to have someone who really could communicate with the natives, Cortes at last coaxed the Cacique into
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