how they came to panuco, and how they were receiued of the inhabitants.

from the time that they put out of rio grande to the sea, at their departure from florida, vntil they arriued in the riuer of panuco, were 52 daies. they arriued in the riuer of panuco, 1543. septem. 10. they came into the riuer of panuco the 10. of september 1543. they went vp the riuer with their brigandines. they trauelled foure daies; and because the wind was but little, and many times it serued them not, because of the many turnings which the riuer maketh, and the great current, drawing them vp by towing, and that in many places: for this cause they made very little way, and with great labour; and seeing the execution of their desire to be deferred, which was to come among christians, and to see the celebration of diuine seruice, which so long time they had not seene; they left the brigandines with the mariners, and went by land to panuco. all of them were apparrelled in deeres skins tanned and died blacke, to wit, cotes, hose, and shooes. when they came to panuco, presently they went to the church to pray and giue god thankes, that so miraculously had saued them. the townesmen which before were aduertised by the indians, and knew of their arriual, caried some of them to their houses, and entertained them, whom they knew, and had acquaintance of, or because they were their countrimen. the alcalde mayor tooke the gouernour home to his house: and commanded al the rest, assoone as they came, to be lodged 6. & 6. and 10. & 10. according to the habilitie of euery townesman. and all of them were prouided for by their hostes of many hennes and bread of maiz, and fruites of the countrie, which are such as be in the isle of cuba, whereof, before i haue spoken. the description of panuco. the towne of panuco may containe aboue 70 families; the most of their houses are of lime and stone, and some made of timber, and all of them are thatched. it is a poore countrie, and there is neither gold nor siluer in it: the inhabitants live there in great abundance of victuals and seruants. the richest haue not aboue 500. crownes rent a yeere, and that is in cotton clothes and hennes and maiz, which the indians there seruants doe giue them for tribute. 311. christians arriued at panuco. there arriued there; of those that came out of florida, three hundred and eleuen christians. presently the alcalde mayor sent one of the townesmen in post to aduertise the viceroy, don antonio de mendo?a, which was resident in mexico, that of the people that went with don ferdinando de soto to discouer and conquer florida, three hundred and eleuen men were arriued there, that seeing they were imploied in his maiesties seruice, he would take some order to prouide for them. whereat the viceroy, and all the inhabitants of mexico wondred. for they thought they were miscarried, because they had trauelled so farre within the maine land of florida, and had no newes of them for so long a time: and it seemed a wonderfull thing vnto them, how they could saue themselues so long among infidels, without any fort, wherein they might fortifie themselues, and without any other succour at all. presently the viceroy sent a warrant, wherein hee commanded, that whithersoeuer they went, they should giue them victuals, and as many indians for their carriages as they needed: and where they would not furnish them, they might take those things that were necessarie perforce without incurring any danger of law. this warrant was so readilie obeyed, that by the way before they came to the townes, they came to receiue them with hennes, and victuals.