They held their course along the coast for fifteen days, always laying to at night, when they came to a large town with a bay, which they believed to be a river in which they might find water, of which they were now in great need. They landed, and hearing the Indians call the place Quimpeche, it ever afterwards was called Campechy. Being come to a well of excellent water, of which the natives used to drink, and having taken what they needed, they were about to return to the ships, when fifty Indians clad in jackets and large cotton cloth cloaks came up, asking by signs what they wanted, whether they came from the east, and finally invited them to their town. When they had seriously considered this, and put themselves into a good posture of defence, lest they should be treacherously used as they had already been at Cotoche, they accompanied the Indians to certain temples or places of worship, built of stone and lime, where there were many idols of very ugly shapes, with fresh signs of blood, and several painted crosses, at which last they were much amazed. Great numbers of men, women, and children, flocked to look at them, shewing signs of great amazement, though some of them smiled. Soon afterwards, two parties of armed men appeared in good order, clothed and armed like those they had seen at Cotoche. In the next place, ten men in very long white mantles came from one of the temples, having their long black hair twisted up in rolls behind. In their hands these men held little earthen fire-pans, into which they cast gum anime, which they call copal, with which they perfumed the Spaniards, ordering them to depart from the country on pain of death. They then began to beat upon small kettle drums, and to sound their horns, trumpets, and pipes. The Spaniards, who were rather weak, as two of the men wounded at Cotoche had died, and the rest were not yet quite recovered, thought it prudent to retire to the shore, which they did in good order, followed by the armed Indians, and embarked without any conflict. After sailing six days longer, the wind came round to the north, blowing with such violence on the coast that they thought to have been cast away. When the storm abated, they endeavoured to approach the shore for water, as the casks had become leaky, and soon ran out. They landed accordingly in a bay near an Indian town, and about a league from the town of Pontonchan, and filled their casks at a well near certain places of worship, which were built of stone and lime like those they had seen formerly. When ready to return to the ships, they perceived a party of armed men advancing towards them, who asked whether they had come from where the sun rises? On being answered in the affirmative, the Indians drew back to some houses not far off, and the Spaniards, because night was coming on, resolved to remain on shore. A great noise was heard soon afterwards among the Indians, and the Spaniards became divided in opinion; some being clear for getting on board immediately, while others thought it would be dangerous to retreat in the dark, as there seemed 300 Indians to every one of their small party.

When day broke next morning, it appeared that the Indians had been joined by many others during the night, and they all surrounded the Spaniards, pouring in a great shower of arrows, stones, and darts, by which eighty of the Spaniards were wounded at the first onset. After this they closed in with the Christians, using their swords and spears; and though the Spaniards were not idle with their fire-arms, cross-bows, and swords, the Indians distressed them greatly. On experiencing the sharpness of the Spanish swords, the Indians drew farther off, continuing to ply their arrows with a good aim, crying out calachani! calachani! which in the language of Yucutan, signifies cacique or captain, meaning that they should aim especially at the commander Cordova. In this they succeeded, as he received twelve arrow wounds, as he exposed himself foremost in every encounter, when he ought rather to have directed his men than fought personally. Finding himself sorely wounded, and that the courage of his men was unable to overcome so great a multitude, which was continually increasing, he made a furious onset, and broke through the Indians, who still pursued the Spaniards on their way to the boats. On getting to the boats, they had nearly sunk them all by the hurry of so many men crowding to embark; but they at length put off from the shore, the Indians still plying them with missile weapons, and many of them advancing into the water to wound the Spaniards with their spears.

In this unfortunate rencontre, forty-seven Spaniards were killed, and many wounded, five of whom died on board. The wounded men endured excruciating pain while in the boats, in consequence of their wounds being wet with sea water, which caused them to swell much. All the people cursed the pilot Alaminos for bringing them to this place, who still persisted that this country was an island. They called this place Bahia de Mala Prelea, or the Bay of Evil Battle, on account of the misfortune they had here encountered. On arriving at the ships, the Spaniards gave thanks to God for their deliverance from danger; and being all wounded except one, they came to the resolution of returning to Cuba, and set fire to one of their ships which had become leaky, as they had not now able hands enough to manage the sails of both, and to work the pumps. Being much distressed for water, as they had been constrained to abandon their casks at Pontonchan, some of the soundest of the men went on shore at a creek which they called De los Logartos, on account of the numbers of alligators found there. Finding no water here but what was brackish, Alaminos, and the other pilots, recommended to stand over to the coast of Florida, where they arrived in four days. Alaminos went on shore in search of water, with twenty of the stoutest soldiers, armed with cross-bows and muskets, the Captain Hernandez begging them to bring him some water as speedily as possible, as he was perishing of thirst. On landing near a creek, Alaminos said he knew the place, having been here before with Ponce de Leon, and advised them to be on their guard against the natives, and they accordingly posted centinels to give the alarm. They dug pits along an open shore, where they found good water, with which they quenched their thirst; and while employed in washing some linen for the wounded men, and almost ready to reimbark, one of their centinels came running towards them, calling out to put to sea without delay, as warlike Indians were coming towards them. Soon after they saw many canoes with Indians coming down the creek. The Indians were armed with long bows and arrows, and spears and swords after their manner, and being large men clothed in deer skins, they had a very formidable appearance. At the first discharge of their arrows, the Indians wounded six of the Spaniards; but finding the effects of the Spanish arms, they drew off again to their canoes, and seized the Spanish boat. On this the Spaniards closed with them, being obliged to wade up to their middles in the water, but succeeded in rescuing the boat and putting the Indians to flight, Alaminos being wounded in the throat during the fight. When the Indians retreated and the Spaniards were all ready to embark, the centinel who gave the alarm was asked what had become of his companion? He answered, that he had stepped aside towards the creek by which the Indians came down, on purpose to cut down a palmito; and that hearing him soon afterwards cry out, he had run away to give the alarm. A party was sent in search of him, following the track of the Indians, who found the palmito he had begun to cut down, and near it the grass was much trodden down, which made them conclude he had been carried away alive, as they could not find him after an hours search. That unfortunate soldier was the only one who had escaped unwounded from Pontonchan.