The Mastering of Mexico/Chapter 14
CHAPTER XIV
How we set an altar on the chief temple, and the anger of the Mexican gods and people at our act; and of the fleet Velasquez sent out from Cuba, what Montezuma did about it; and our plan to go against Narvaez.
The great Montezuma never ceased his good will towards us and did as we wished in every way save that he never stopped the sacrifice of human beings. Day after day the abomination went on. No protest could induce him to end it. The difficulty for us was to use some means which would not impel the people and the papas to arms. At last Cortes, accompanied by seven officers and soldiers, went to Montezuma and said, "Great monarch, I have already many times begged you not to sacrifice humans to those false gods who are deluding you, and yet the horrors continue every day. I have come now with these officers to ask your leave to take away the idols from your temple and put Our Lady, Santa Maria, and a cross in their stead. My men are determined to pull the idols down, and, if you will not permit us, I suppose some one or other of your priests may be killed."
When Montezuma heard these words and saw how threatening the men looked, he answered, "Alas, Malinche! why do you wish utterly to destroy the city? Already our gods are angry with us, and I can not tell what revenge they will take. Have patience till I summon the papas and know what they think."
Cortes now signed with his hand for the officers to retire, and then he told the monarch that the way to save the town from open rebellion and the idols from destruction was to grant us room for an altar and an image of Our Lady and the cross on the top of the temple. In no other way could he promise him to silence the murmurs of his men. As time went on, moreover, the Mexicans themselves would see how good and beneficial the change was for their souls and for giving them abundant harvests and other blessings.
With deep sighs and a countenance full of sorrow, Montezuma repeated that he would confer with his papas, and after much discussion between monarch and priests we gained leave to set our altars opposite the cursed idol of Huitzilopochtli, and there with heartfelt thanks to God, Padre de Olmedo chanted mass, assisted by many of our soldiers. Cortes begged Montezuma to order his papas not to touch the altar; and at the same time our captain appointed an old soldier to be the altar's cleaner and curator, to burn incense, to keep wax candles lighted night and day, and from time to time to decorate It with fresh branches and flowers.
From the very moment we set this altar and cross on the great temple, the gods Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca seemed to speak to the priests and tell them they wished to leave the country—the teules had treated them with such contempt they could not stay in the same spot with that image and cross. The gods further said that the gold which used to be kept for their honor was now broken up and melted into bars, and we, with five caciques in chains, were lording it over the land. If they were to remain in Mexico, we must be killed. This was the last they would say on the matter.
In order that Cortes and all of us should know this momentous decision, Montezuma sent word that he wished to speak with him, and when our captain hastened to the monarch, he said, "How grieved I am at the command our gods have given our papas and me and all my people. For they say we must make war on you, and kill you, or drive you back to the sea. I advise you to leave this city at once, before you are attacked. Do not fail to do this. Remember your lives are at stake."
Cortes and his officers were not a little disturbed, especially by the monarch's insistence that our lives were in danger. But they hid their fears, and Cortes, thanking Montezuma for his warning, added that he had no ships in which to sail, and even if we did leave the country we must take with us the monarch to meet our king, and therefore he begged that Montezuma would restrain the priests and chieftains till we had built three ships on the sand dunes—this would be the wiser course, for if they began war on us we should certainly kill them all. That the monarch might see he purposed to carry out what he said, he further asked that carpenters be sent with two of our soldiers to cut wood near the coast.
When Montezuma heard that he was to go with us he was more dispirited than ever. Still he said he would send the carpenters with orders to work, not talk, and would command the papas and caciques not to raise the town to rebellion, for they might for the time being appease Huitzilopochtli with sacrifices, but not of human lives. After this exciting interview we were all in anxiety wondering when they would begin their attack.
At once Cortes sent for Martin Lopez and other ship carpenters, and after some discussion about the size of the three vessels to be built, he ordered them to march to Vera Cruz, where every necessary thing in iron, rigging, tar and tow was ready, and there to set to work. In all haste they obeyed, cutting the wood on the coast near Vera Cruz.
Let us leave them building the ships and tell how, back in the city of Mexico, we grew more alarmed and expected attack any moment. Our friends from Tlaxcala and Donna Marina said it was probable, and we all kept on the alert and narrowly watched Montezuma. I must here, and for the last time, say that neither by night nor day did we take off our armor or leggings. We even slept in them with our weapons in our hands. Our beds were a bundle of straw and a mat. Our horses stood saddled and bridled. In short, every soldier was ready for action at a moment's notice. Sentinels were posted and each of us in turn had at least one watch every night.
Another thing, but I do not mention it in praise of myself: I grew so accustomed to living in armor day and night that after the conquest of New Spain I kept to the habit of sleeping in my clothes, and without a bed, and I slept better in soldier fashion than on a down bed. Even now, in my old age, when I visit the towns of my commendary,[1] I do not take a bed, and if I do take one it is because the gentlemen who go with me may not think I take no bed because I have no good one. And from continuous watching at night I am only able to sleep for a short time together, and have to get up at intervals and take a couple of turns in the open air and look at the stars, and this I do without wearing a cap or kerchief round my head, and I am so used to it that, thank God, it does me no harm. I tell all this that it may be known how we, the true conquistadores, lived and how wonted we were to arms and keeping guard.
From our watch in the great city of Mexico we have now to turn our thoughts back a little. When Diego Velasquez, the governor of Cuba, learned that we had sent agents to our king, with all the gold we had received—the gold sun, the silver moon, and many jewels and the metal from the mines—he also heard that the bishop of Burgos, who favored him, had treated our agents badly. The bishop, report went, then sent help to Velasquez, and advised and even commanded him to fit out an expedition against us and have us captured—promising that he, the bishop, would fully support Velasquez before our king.
With such backing the governor of Cuba got together a fleet of nineteen ships, carrying fourteen hundred soldiers, above twenty cannon, and stores of powder, balls and gun-flints. Then they also had eighty horsemen, ninety crossbowmen and seventy musketeers. Fat and heavy as he was, Velasquez had in the warmth of his wrath visited every town in Cuba to hasten the provisioning of the ships, and to invite settlers to join Panfilo de Narvaez and have the honor of taking Cortes and the rest of us prisoners, or at least blowing out our brains. After such a send-off Narvaez sailed across the sea with all his fleet. A north wind struck him one night and foundered one vessel of small burden, but the other ships came safely to the harbor of San Juan de Ulua.
When the arrival of the fleet became known to three soldiers whom Cortes had sent out in search of gold mines, these men, Cervantes, Escalona and Alonzo Carretero, did not hesitate a moment to go to Narvaez' ship; and as soon as they found themselves on board, and had partaken the food and wine given them, they praised the Almighty for delivering them from the power of Cortes and the city of Mexico. "How much better to be drinking wine here than slaving under Cortes," they cried, "with no rest night or day, daring scarcely speak a word, and death staring us in the face!" And Cervantes, a low buffoon, exclaimed, "O Narvaez, Narvaez, what a fortunate man that you came at this time when the traitor Cortes has got together more than seven hundred thousand dollars of gold, and all his men are enraged because he has taken a greater part of the gold and they will not accept what he offers them." So these worthless fellows told Narvaez more than he wished to know.
The great Montezuma soon learned that these ships, with many soldiers on board, had anchored in the port, and he secretly, without a word to Cortes, sent some of his caciques to bear presents of gold and furnish food from neighboring villages. Narvaez, in turn, sent word to Montezuma that Cortes and all the rest of us were nothing but a parcel of thieves and vagabonds who had fled from Spain without the permission of our king, and when his majesty had heard that we were here, and knew of the robberies and other ill deeds we had done, and that we had taken Montezuma prisoner, he ordered Narvaez to set out with all these ships, soldiers and horses and end our disorders, free the monarch, and put Cortes and all the rest of us evil-workers to the sword or take us alive and send us to Spain, where sure death awaited us.
Montezuma heard this message with natural satisfaction, particularly the part telling how many ships, horses, cannon, musketeers and crossbowmen the new fleet had. He believed they would take us prisoners. In addition, when the monarch's messengers saw the three treacherous rascals who had deserted to Narvaez, and perceived they said evil of Cortes, they found more reason to believe the scandal Narvaez had told. They brought back to Montezuma a picture of the fleet accurately painted on cloth, and he thereupon sent Narvaez more gold and cotton stuffs, and ordered all the towns in the neighborhood to supply the Spaniard with plenty of food. Three whole days the monarch was in possession of this news and Cortes knew nothing about it. One day, however, when our captain went to pay his usual visit, he said to Montezuma that it seemed to him he looked in particularly good spirits, and he asked the monarch how it was. Montezuma answered that he felt better than he had for some time. Astonished at this sudden change, Cortes called again the same day, and the monarch then feared he knew about the ships, and to turn aside suspicion he said, "Malinche, I have just this moment heard that eighteen ships and a great number of troops and horses have come to port where you landed. It has all been painted on cloth and sent me. You have come twice to-day, and doubtless this time you bring me the news. Now you will have no need to build ships. Because you did not tell me of it I may have felt hurt, yet I am delighted at the arrival of your brothers, for you can go back to Spain now. This removes all difficulties."
When Cortes heard this and saw the paintings on the cloth he exclaimed in delight, "Thank God! who at the right time sends aid for us!" As for us—we soldiers were so rejoiced that we could not keep quiet, and our horsemen galloped about firing salute after salute. Cortes, however, saw plainly that Diego Velasquez had sent the fleet against him and against all of us; and he said what he felt about it to us, and by rich presents and promises he won our pledge to stand by him.
Our captain, I have said, was a man who exercised such care and forethought that the smallest advantage did not escape him, and whatever difficulty he might be in he managed to put right. The facts must not be forgotten, however, that he had the good fortune to have trustworthy officers and soldiers who not only brought a powerful arm to battle, but also aided him with prudent advice. At that time, in the way of council, we all agreed that he should at once send letters by Indian couriers to Narvaez, in the most friendly way offering our services to do what he should command, and begging him not to excite rebellion in the land or permit the Indians to see any enmity among us. We wrote in this friendly tone because our numbers were so very small in comparison with his, and in order to get his good will and learn how he was inclined.
This letter of Cortes' sent by the courier duly reached Narvaez, and he for his part went about showing it to his officers and making merry at it, and even at us. One of his officers, named Salvatierra, reproved him, it was said, for even reading a letter from such a traitor as Cortes, saying he ought to march against us and not leave one of us alive; for his own, Salvatierra's, self, he swore, he would cut off Cortes' ears and roast and eat them. Other such brutality was rife.
From ourselves at Mexico, likewise, Cortes despatched our Padre de Olmedo carrying a stock of persuasive articles of gold and precious stones, and to tell how Cortes wished for peace and friendship. But upon Olmedo's arriving and calling upon him Narvaez refused to listen, and called us all traitors. When Olmedo replied that on the contrary we were most faithful servants of the king, Narvaez grossly insulted him. It was then the padre secretly distributed the gold to those Cortes had named, and won over the chief officers to our side.
Cortes, receiving daily letters from the camp of Narvaez, and from Sandoval at Vera Cruz, learned that Narvaez had sent the royal auditor a prisoner to Spain, and thrown in chains others who spoke of us as deserving men, and that fearing like treatment, five officers had gone over to Sandoval. Finally we heard that Narvaez had stated his intention shortly to go in person to Mexico and take us prisoners. When such intelligence as this reached Cortes, he promptly called together all those who were wont to advise with him and whom he knew faithful to his interests. In this council we all agreed that without waiting for any more letters, we should immediately march against Narvaez. Pedro de Alvarado was to remain in Mexico to guard Montezuma, and all the soldiers not anxious to join our expedition, and also possible partisans of Velasquez, were to stay with him.
Fortunately Cortes had ordered a supply of maize from Tlaxcala before the arrival of Narvaez, for the harvest had failed about Mexico owing to want of rain. We needed great quantity of provisions for many Tlaxcalan friends were with us. This maize and other necessities, such as fowls, now came in and we gave it in charge of Pedro de Alvarado. Further we fortified our quarters by mounting bronze cannon, and left with Alvarado all the powder we had, ten crossbowmen, fourteen musketeers, seven horsemen and in all eighty-three soldiers.
Montezuma plainly saw that our plan was to go against Narvaez, and though Cortes went to see him every day, he did not let him know that he was aware the monarch was sending gold and cloth to the newly arrived Spaniards and was ordering food delivered to them. So it happened that one day while they were discoursing as usual, Montezuma said, "Malinche, I have for some time been noticing that your officers and soldiers are disturbed, and you yourself do not come to see me as often as you used to. Your page tells me that you are about to march against your brothers who have come in the ships, and that you are going to leave Tonatio (so the Mexicans termed Alvarado) to guard me. Do tell 
me if there is any way I can bear you aid In this matter. I will do it with the greatest good will. I fear for your success, for you have few teules and those who have come have five times as many. And they say they are Christians, like yourselves, and subjects of your king, and possess images and set up crosses and read mass just as you do, and everywhere they are telling that you have fled from your king and they are come to capture and put you to death. I scarce know what to think of it. One thing, however, I must tell you—use great care in what you are about to do."
In his answer Cortes told the monarch, In the most cheerful way in the world and speaking through Donna Marina who was always with him, as well as Aguilar, in these conversations, that if he had not come to tell Montezuma about this, it was because of the love he bore him and he would spare him anxiety about our departure. It was all true that the teules lately arrived were subjects of our king and Christians, but it was false to say we had fled from our king. On the contrary our great monarch had sent us to visit him, Montezuma, and send report of what had been said and done. As to what he had said about those just arrived bringing many soldiers and horses and cannon, however great their number our Lord Jesus Christ, and his blessed mother. Our Lady, would lend us strength and power superior to those bad men who had come with evil purpose. Our emperor, continued Cortes, ruled many countries and peoples differing in courage and spirit. We came from the heart of Spain, Old Castile, and the commander now at the coast from Biscay where the people speak an impure speech. Montezuma need have no anxiety about us. We should speedily come back victorious, and for the present we begged him to stay in friendship with Tonatio, and not countenance his caciques and papas in raising any rebellion, for in case they did the rebels should on our return pay with their lives. Cortes also asked the monarch to furnish anything those who stayed behind might need in the way of food.
After this our captain embraced Montezuma twice, and Montezuma also embraced Cortes, and Donna Marina significantly said to the monarch that he ought to show some sign of grief at our departure. Upon this Montezuma said he would do all Cortes had asked him and also furnish five thousand warriors to go with us. But Cortes, knowing well that they would not be forthcoming, assured him with thanks that he needed no more than, first of all, the help of God and then of his companions. Still, he begged Montezuma to see that the image of Our Lady and the cross were always decorated with fresh boughs, the wax candles burning day and night, and that he should not permit any of his priests to sacrifice human lives. To do this would be proof of his sincere friendship.
After this Cortes besought Alvarado and all the others remaining behind to take the utmost care Montezuma did not escape. We then embraced one another and, taking as little baggage as possible, set out on our journey.
- ↑ Land and Indian towns given a Spaniard in those days often as reward for services.