Soon after Alvaredo set out for Cuba, by the advice of his captains and pilots, Grijalva continued his exploration of the coast, which he sailed along in sight of the mountains of Tuspa, so named from a town in that neighbourhood.  Proceeding onwards to the province of Panuco, they saw several towns on the shore, and a river which they named Decancas.  While they lay here at anchor rather off their guard, ten canoes full of armed men came towards the ship commanded by Alonzo de Avila, and poured in a flight of arrows, by which five men were wounded, and then attempted to cut the cables, that they might carry off the ship, and even succeeded so far as to cut one of the cables.  The men on board de Avilas ship behaved themselves well, and overset two of the canoes, yet required the aid of fire-arms from the other ships before they could drive away the Indians.  At last, many of the Indians being wounded, they desisted from their rash enterprise, and made for the land.  From this place the Spaniards sailed along the coast till they came to a large point of land which they found very difficult to double, and the pilot Alaminos represented that it was very inconvenient to proceed any farther in that direction.  The captains and pilots now consulted as to what was best to be done, some of whom were for returning along the coast in search of a proper place in which to settle a colony.  Montejo and Avila differed from this opinion, representing that winter was approaching, that provisions were growing scarce, and one of the ships very leaky; for all which reasons it was advisable to return to Cuba; the more especially because the natives of this coast were numerous and warlike, and the Spaniards were so much fatigued by having been so long at sea, that they were not able to maintain their ground.  Added to this, Grijalva considered that his instructions were positive not to attempt any settlement; and this being backed by the opinion of his captains, Montejo and Avila, he determined to return.  Tacking about, therefore, he came back to the great river of Guazacoallo, but could not enter it on account of bad weather.  They proceeded thence to the river of Tonala, which they had named St Anthony, where they careened their leaky ship.  While here, many Indians came to them from the town, which was a league off, bringing fowls, bread, and other provisions, which they bartered for Spanish toys; and the news having spread over the country, others came from Guazacoallo, and other neighbouring towns, bringing provisions, small gold plates, and very bright copper axes with painted handles.  Thinking these axes had been pale gold, the Spaniards purchased six hundred of them, and the natives would willingly have sold them more.