how the cacique of naguatex came to visite the gouernour: and how the gouernour departed from naguatex and came to nondacao.
the gouernour sent an indian from naguatex where hee lay, to command the cacique to come to serue and obey him, and that hee would forgiue him all that was past; and if he came not, that he would seeke him, and giue him such punishment as he had deserued for that which he had done against him. within two daies the indian returned, and said that the cacique would come the next day: which, the same day when he came, sent many indians before him, among whom there were some principall men: hee sent them to see what countenance they found in the gouernour, to resolue with himselfe whether hee should goe or not. the indians let him vnderstand, that he was comming, and went away presently: and the cacique came within two houres accompanied with many of his men: they came all in a ranke one before another on both sides, leauing a lane in the middest where hee came. tulla not far from naguatex, eastward. they came where the gouernour was, all of them weeping after the manner of tulla, which was not farre from thence toward the east. the cacique made his due obedience, and this speech following:
right high and mightie lord, whom all the world ought to serue and obey, i was bold to appeare before your lordship, hauing committed so heinous and abominable an act, as only for me to haue imagined, deserued to be punished; trusting in your greatnes, that although i deserue to obtaine no pardon, yet for your owne sake only you will vse clemencie toward me, considering how small i am in comparison of your lordship; and not to think vpon my weaknesses, which, to my griefe and for my greater good, i haue knowne. and i beleeue that you and yours are immortall; and that your lordship is lord of the land of nature, seeing that you subdue all things, and they obey you, euen the very hearts of men. for when i beheld the slaughter and destruction of my men in the battell, which, through mine ignorance, and the counsell of a brother of mine, which died in the same, i gaue your lordship, presently i repented me in my heart of the error, which i had committed; and desired to serue and obey you: and to this end i come, that your lordship may chastise and command mee as your owne.
the gouernour answered him, that he forgaue him all which was past, that from thenceforth hee should do his dutie, and that he would hold him for his friend, and that he would fauour him in all things. the riuer growne vnpassable in august, at naguatex. within foure daies hee departed thence, and comming to the riuer he could not passe, because it was growne very bigge; which seemed to him a thing of admiration, being at that time that it was, and since it had not rained a moneth before. the indians said, that it increased many times after that manner without raining in all the countrie. coniectures of a sea to the northward. it was supposed, that it might be the tide that came into it. it was learned that the flood came alway from aboue, and that the indians of all that countrie had no knowledge of the sea. the gouernour returned vnto the place where he had lodged before: and vnderstanding within eight daies after that the riuer was passable, he departed. he passed ouer and found the towne without people: he lodged in the field, and sent the cacique word to come vnto him, and to bring him a guide to goe forward. and some daies being past, seeing the cacique came not, nor sent any bodie, hee sent two captaines sundrie waies to burne the townes, and to take such indians as they could finde: they burnt great store of victuals, and took many indians. the cacique seeing the hurt that he receiued in his countrie, sent sixe principall indians with three men for guides which knew the language of the countrie, through which the gouernour was to passe. hee departed presently from naguatex, and within three daies iourney came to a towne of foure or fiue houses, which belonged to the cacique of that prouince, which is called nissoone: it was euill inhabited and had little maiz. two daies iourney forward the guides which guided the gouernour, if they were to goe westward, guided him to the east; and sometimes went vp and downe through very great woods out of the way. the gouernour commanded them to bee hanged vpon a tree: and a woman that they tooke in nissoone guided him, and went backe againe to seeke the way. in two daies he came to another miserable towne called lacane: an indian was taken in that place, that said, that the countrie of nondacao was a countrie of great habitation, and the houses scattering the one from the other, as they vse to bee in mountains, and had great store of maiz. the cacique came with his men weeping, like them of naguatex: for this is their vse in token of obedience: hee made him a present of much fish, and offered to doe what he would command him. hee tooke his leaue, and gaue him a guide to the prouince of soacatino.
