_We continued our course and ran into Terminos bay, as we named it._
On our further voyage we came to an opening on the coast, which to us
appeared to be the mouth of some broad and large river. It was, however,
not a river as we had supposed, but a good harbour, which reached so far
inland, and had such a considerable breadth, that it appeared like a
sea; and our pilot Anton de Alaminos confidently asserted that this was
an island whose two promontories reached nigh to the continent. We,
therefore, termed this opening the Boca de Terminos, under which name it
may be found on the sea charts. Our commander and the other officers
went on shore here with the greater part of our men, among which number
I also was. We remained three whole days in this place in order
thoroughly to explore the opening and sail through it in all directions.
We discovered, however, that it was no island, but a deep indented bay,
formed by the continent, affording us a most commodious harbour. As we
also found temples here built of stone and lime, full of idols made of
wood or clay, with other figures, sometimes representing women,
sometimes serpents, also horns of various kinds of wild animals, we
concluded that an Indian village must be near at hand: we considered,
moreover, that this would be a most excellent spot to found a colony. We
had, however, deceived ourselves in one thing, the district being quite
uninhabited. The temples most probably belonged to merchants and
hunters, who on their journies most likely ran into this harbour and
there made their sacrifices. Fallow deer and rabbits abounded in this
neighbourhood, and with one greyhound only we killed ten of the former
and great numbers of the latter. Our dog took such a liking to this spot
that it ran away while we were busy reimbarking, nor did we see it again
until we visited this place subsequently with Cortes, when it appeared
in excellent condition, quite plump and sleeky.
Having thoroughly explored Terminos harbour, and sounded it throughout,
we pursued our course along the coast to the river Tabasco, which at
present, after the name of its discoverer, is called the river Grijalva.