The herald., 1895-03-03

very Young, and her mo6her lneh MAJ ieN'
another Cacioue, by whom she had son
of whom she was very fond. AL
length it was agreed between the
Cacioue and his wife to send Marina away,
and thus to secure everything for the son.
Therefore, one night they gave her to some
Indians. merchants Of Xicalanga, and as
the little daughter of one OF their slaves
died about this time, they gave out that
Marina was dead The Indians OF
kicalanga gave her to those of Tabasco,
and the people OF Tabasco gave her to
Cortes.
know her mother and her brother, who
was man grown when | knew him. HE
ruled his town jointly with his mother,
his father being dead.
Both became Christians, and the mother
was called Marta and the son Lazaro.
After the conquest of Mexico, when
Cristoval de Oil rebelled in the Higueras
against Cortes, Cortes passed through
Guazcualco marching against Oil, and
MANY of us who were stationed at
Guazcualco joined him, and Don Marina,
who was an excellent woman and good
Interpreter, also accompanied him on this
expedition.
1t was on this same occasion that she
married cavalier named Juan Nara
milo at place called Orizaba, in the
presence of certain witnesses, one OF
whom was called Armada a resident of
Tabasco. No one in New Spain had such
influence over the Indians as Dona
Marina, for she was much respected by
them and commanded them absolutely.
While Cortes was at Guazcualco he called
a parliament of all the Caciques OF the
neighboring towns, and the brother and
mother of Dona Marina came with the
rest.
Dona Marina had told me long before
that she was of this province and the
daughter of chief, and Captain Cortes
and Aguilar also knew it well, but when
| saw the mother and brother could
readily see the resemblance.
The brother and mother were afraid and
came with tears, for they feared that
Dona Marina would have them killed.
But when she saw them thus she consoled
Them and said that when they gave her
to the Indians of Xicalanga they did not
know what they were doing, and that she
forgave them, and she made them pres
ents of gold and clothing and sent them
back to their town, telling them besides
that God had been very good to her i'll re-
leasing her from the bondage of idolatry
and making her a Christian and giving
her son by her Lord Cortes, and finally
in making her the wife of a cavalier like
her husband. Juan Xaramillo. And ali
OF this which l state here | heard and
saw, and swear that it is true. Amen.
Dona Marina understood the language
of Guazacualco, which is the same as the
Aztec, and she under stood that of Tabasco
also, as Geronimo de Aguilar did that of
Yucatan and Tabasco, which are also the
same language, and thus, at first until
Marina learned Castilian, we spoke to
Geronimo de Aguilar in that tongue,
and he to Marina in the language of Yu-
catan, and she to the Aztecs i'll their own
language. And thus it seemed that God
had SO ordained it that Marina should be
sold into bondage in Yucatan by an UNI
natural mother and that Geronimo Aguilar
should be cast away on the same coast,
that they might learn the same language,
and that Herman Cortes should afterwards
be the instrument to bring them together
in order that the word of God might be
explained to the heather, and that they
might assist us i'll the conquest of these
rich lands Of TERRA Firma.