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Updated: June 20, 2025
After thirteen days' sailing, Grijalva reached the Island of Cozumel on the coast of Yucatan, doubled the Cape of Cotoche, and entered the Bay of Campeachy.
Then Grijalva ordered the interpreters to say, That he and his men were subjects of a great king, to whom mighty princes were under obedience, and it was both reasonable and for their advantage that they too should submit themselves to his authority; and desired them, until these things could be explained more fully, to supply him and his men with provisions.
The Spaniards landed at a grove of palms about half a mile from the town, and the Indians came towards them with about fifty canoes full of armed men in a warlike posture, all finely decorated with feathers. When all were ready on both sides to begin an engagement, Grijalva sent Julian and Melchior to speak with the natives.
While we proceeded along the coast, such of us as had been there before along with Grijalva, pointed out to Cortes the different places which we recollected; saying here is la Rambla, there Tonala, or St Antonio, there the river of Coatzacualco, the Sierra Nevada, or Snowy Mountains, and those of St Martin, the Roca Partida, or Pierced Rock, the rivers of Alvarado, and the Vanderas, Isla Blanca, Isla Verda, Isla de los Sacrificios, and early in the evening of Holy Thursday, 21st April, we arrived at the harbour of St Juan de Ulua.
As he pronounced the word Ulua, we named the island St Juan de Ulua, which it still bears; partly in compliment to Juan de Grijalva, and partly because this happened to be St John's Day. We remained seven days at this place, terribly distressed by mosquitos, during which time we procured an inconsiderable quantity of gold from the natives.
As soon as Montejo landed, the Indians presented him with fowls, bread, and fruit, and perfumed him and his men by burning copal in fire-pans. Julian was not able to understand the language of these people, which was Mexican, and Montejo sent advice to Grijalva of the friendly behaviour of the Indians, on which he brought his ships to anchor, and landed himself.
Our friendly reception being reported to Grijalva, he immediately landed with all the rest of the soldiers, and on his rank being made known to the Indians, he was treated with extraordinary respect, which he returned with much politeness, ordering beads and cut glass to be distributed among them, and expressing a desire to obtain gold in return.
When Grijalva landed, he was received with the same honour as the Indians paid to their gods; they burnt copal incense before him, and laid at his feet more than 1500 piastres' worth of small gold jewels, as well as green pearls and copper hatchets.
Grijalva, accompanied by the pilot Alaminos, who had made the voyage to Florida with Ponce de Leon, had two hundred men under his command; amongst the volunteers was Bernal Diaz del Castillo, the clever author of a very interesting history of the conquest of Mexico, from which we shall borrow freely.
On being questioned whence they procured their gold, they answered that it came from the west, frequently repeating Culchua and Mexico, words we did not then understand; but an interpreter, named Franciso, who had been along with Grijalva, though he did not understand the language of Tabasco, said that he knew Culchua, which he alleged lay far inland.
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