They finally reached a point at which the Indians explained that
they dared not go further, because the tribe which held the country
further west was hostile.
"Send to them," suggested Cabeca, "and tell them we are coming."
After some argument the Indians sent two women, because women would not
be harmed even in the enemy's country. Then the four comrades set out
into the new land.
Among them they knew six Indian dialects, and could talk with the people
after a fashion, wherever they went. Even when two tribes were at war,
they made a truce, so that they might trade and talk with the strangers.
At last Castillo saw on the neck of an Indian the buckle of a
sword-belt, and fastened to it like a pendant the nail of a horse-shoe.
His heart leaped. He asked the Indian where he got the things. The
Indian answered,
"They came from heaven."
"Who brought them?" asked Cabeca.
"Men with beards like you," the Indian answered rather timidly, "seated
on strange animals and carrying long lances. They killed two of our
people with those lances, and the rest ran away."
Then Cabeca knew that his countrymen must have passed that way. His
feelings were a strange mixture of joy and grief.
As they went on they came upon more traces of Spaniards, parties of
slave-hunters from the south.
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