After the Captain, Pedro de Alvarado had left us to go to the Island of Cuba, (as I have already related) it was decided by the General, Captains, and soldiers, and approved of by the Pilots, that we should keep in close to the shore and discover all that we were able on the coast. Keeping on our course we came in sight of the Sierra de Tuztla, and further on, two days later, we saw some other higher ranges which are now called the Sierra de Tuzpa, after a town of that name near by. As we coasted along, we saw many towns apparently two or three leagues inland and these would belong to the province of Panuco. Continuing our course, we came to a great and rapid river which we called the Rio de Canoas and dropped anchor at the mouth of it.

When all three ships were anchored and we were a little off our guard, twenty large canoes filled with Indian warriors, armed with bows, arrows, and lances, came down the river and made straight for the smallest ship which lay nearest the shore, and was commanded by Francisco de Montejo.