The Mastering of Mexico/Chapter 3
CHAPTER III
How Diego Velasquez petitioned the king of Spain to grant him commission to conquer settle and apportion the land; and we came again with a new fleet with Cortes as captain.
Before I begin to tell of Cortes and our expedition of which he was the commander, I must relate certain happenings which can not be omitted, for they bore on later events.
After Alvarado had arrived at Santiago with the gold we had gained in the newly discovered lands, Diego Velasquez began to fear that, before he could make his report to the king, some court favorite, getting private news of our discoveries, might rob him of his reward. For this reason he sent to Spain a chaplain of his, Benito Martinez, a man skilled in business, to bear letters and a great portion of the gold trinkets to Juan Rodriguez, bishop of Burgos and archbishop of Rosano; and also to the licentiate Luis Zapata and the secretary Lope de Conchillos, who at that time had charge of Indian affairs under the archbishop. Our governor of Cuba, Diego Velasquez, was quite devoted to these men and had given them sizable Indian villages, with the people of which they worked gold-mines. For this reason they were disposed to do much for Diego Velasquez.
King Charles of Spain was at this time in Flanders, and everything done by the Imperial Council of the Indies was by command of these gentlemen. What Diego Velasquez sought through his chaplain was permission to trade with, conquer and found colonies in the countries we had lately discovered. In the accounts he forwarded he told of the many thousands of dollars he had already spent in the undertaking. Chaplain Benito Martinez added so successfully to these reports that he was able to bring back from Spain a decree granting all Diego Velasquez asked, and also, for the governor, the title of adelantado, or governor-in-chief, of Cuba.
Upon the return of Juan de Grijalva from our voyage, in the year 1518, Diego Velasquez had at once ordered the fitting out of a fleet larger than our last. For this purpose he had already got together in the harbor of Santiago ten ships; four of them, careened and refitted, were those in which we had returned, and six others from other ports of Cuba. These vessels he had provisioned with cassava bread and smoked bacon, for at that time, as I have said, Cuba had been so lately settled that there was neither mutton nor beef to be had.
But all this while Diego Velasquez could not make up his mind whom he should name as commander. Certain gentlemen put forward a captain of great renown, Vasco Porcallo, related to some earl. This man, however, did not suit Diego Velasquez, for he feared, since the captain was very daring, he would turn against him when once the fleet was in his hands. Others talked of various kinsmen of Velasquez for the place. We soldiers would hear of none other than our Juan de Grijalva, who was himself valiant and knew how to command, and who bore an unstained character.
While like rumors were afloat the affair was secretly settled with Hernando Cortes, a native of Medellin, a gentleman who held a grant of Indians in Cuba. Two favorites of Diego Velasquez had come to an agreement with Cortes. These two did all in their power to induce the governor to appoint Cortes commander-in-chief of the fleet, taking every occasion to praise Cortes, to extol his energy, his courage, his ability to command, his faithfulness in everything entrusted to his charge—for Cortes had promised to divide between the three of them all gains which, during this expedition, might fall to his share, and his spoils might turn out to be very large, for the real design of Diego Velasquez in sending the expedition was to barter with the natives and not to form settlements as was announced and published. In the end Velazquez chose Cortes captain-general. The next Sunday, when Diego Velasquez was on his way to church, and in company with the principal persons of the town, he placed Cortes on his right side to do him honor. While they were on the road a jester, nicknamed Fool Cervantes, ran in front of the governor, playing pranks and cracking all sorts of jokes. "Alas! alas! my friend Diego," he cried, "what manner of captain have you chosen? He of Medellin in Estramadura! A captain to try his luck in no little way. Have care that he does not run off with your fleet, for you can see by his face he is terrible when once he begins."
As Fool Cervantes was running on in this strain, growing more and more severe, one of the favorites of Velasquez, walking by the side of Cortes, gave the fellow a cuff, crying, "Silence, thou drunken knave! I know this scandalous wit of thine never sprang in thy brain!" But, taking no notice of the blow, the fool still ran on, "Long life to my friend Diego and the valiant captain, Cortes! Master Diego, that you may not weep over your bargain, I must go myself with Cortes to those rich lands."
Nobody doubted for a moment but some kinsmen of the governor had hired the jester to utter these sayings, and to pass them off as wit. Everything the fool predicted, nevertheless, came true to the letter and goes to prove that often fools speak the truth. Still, it became in the end certain that the appointment of Hernando Cortes was pleasing in the eye of God, and of first importance to his majesty, the king of Spain. [1]
As soon as Cortes had received his commission he set about to gather all manner of arms and warlike stores, matchlocks, crossbows, powder and the like; and also a large stock of goods for barter, and everything necessary for the expedition. Now, also, he became more careful of his appearance, and wore a bunch of feathers fastened on his cap with a gold medal, and a velvet cloak trimmed with gold—which made him look more gallant. His countenance was most winning, he talked well and his affability drew people to him. Twice he had been alcalde, or mayor, of the town in which he lived.
Notwithstanding all this, Cortes was at that time greatly pinched for money to buy what he needed, and was head over ears in debt. But when his friends among the merchants heard he had been made commander, they lent him four thousand dollars in coin, and still more secured by his Indians and 
estates. With this money he ordered two standards and banners worked in gold with the royal arms and a cross on each side and beneath an inscription saying, "Brothers, in true faith let us follow the cross, and victory is ours." He then made known in the name of his majesty and of the governor, and by sound of trumpet and drum, that whatsoever person wished to go in his company to the newly discovered lands to conquer and settle, should have share in the gold, silver and riches gained. To any one who settled there, after the country had been pacified, he promised (although Benito Martinez had not yet returned from Spain with authority to Velasquez to grant this) charge of Indians and landed property.
Upon all the people of Cuba this proclamation made deep impression. Cortes wrote to all his friends in the various towns also, begging them to get ready and join the expedition. Many sold all they had to buy themselves arms and a horse. Others began to prepare cassava bread and salt pork for provisioning the ships, and so make ready the best they could.
But while Cortes was working hard to push forward preparations and get his fleet under way, relatives of Velasquez, feeling themselves aggrieved because Cortes had the headship, and still hoping finally to gain the commission, took every occasion to lower him in the eyes of Velasquez. Fully knowing this, Cortes aimed to be every day at the governor's side, to show his zeal in serving him, and to talk of the glory of the undertaking and the vast riches that would accrue from it to Diego Velasquez. Nevertheless, one of the two favorites who had gained the appointment for Cortes was always urging the captain to hasten his embarking—before the relatives, moved by envy and malice, should change the governor's mind.
Finally, everything being in readiness and a rumor getting afloat that Velasquez had determined to take the command from Cortes, our captain ordered that all officers, pilots, soldiers, and as much provision as possible, should be aboard by a certain nightfall. With this company of three hundred he embarked and was about to set sail, when friends roused the sleeping Diego Velasquez. The governor, springing from his bed, mounted his horse and galloped to the landing. Upon Cortes seeing him, he, accompanied by trusty men, entered a boat armed with cannon and muskets, and rowed within speaking distance. There the boat stopped. "Is this the way you are parting from me, my friend?" called Velasquez. "Is this the right way to take your leave?" "Your excellency must pardon me," answered Cortes, "there are some things that must be done before they are thought of. I am at your excellency's orders." But when Diego Velasquez saw how evident Cortes had made his bad faith and shamelessness, he had nothing to say. Upon this Cortes ordered the boat to return to the ship, and sails hoisted for all speed—the 18th of November, 1518.
Weather being fine, we arrived, after a few days' sail, safely in the harbor of Trinidad, where the people came out to welcome us, each gentleman striving to have our captain for his guest. Cortes set up his standard In front of his quarters and issued a proclamation, and, as he had done in Santiago, got together what he could of fire-arms, cassava bread, salted meat and other necessities.
Here many gentlemen joined us, a number coming from Santispiritus, to which towns Cortes had written public letters, for he knew well how to mix fair words in his sentences and offer promises, and to attract many persons of standing in these towns. Here, also, he hired soldiers and bought horses. Alonzo Hernandez Puertocarrero had not money enough to buy one, so Cortes bought one for him and paid for it with gold trimmings from the velvet cloak he had had made at Santiago.
Meanwhile Diego Velasquez had forwarded letters and commands that Cortes be sent to him. For, after he had set out from Santiago with all the ships, relatives of Velasquez and their clique left the governor not a moment's peace, telling him Cortes showed that he was already in rebellion by his sneaking out of the harbor, and that he had never made any secret of his intention to be commander, that he had dealt as if he owned the fleet, and finally that he had entered into arrangements with the two favorites to gain the command for him.
These speeches, added to his natural suspicions, turned the head of Velasquez, and he despatched messages to the alcalde of Trinidad, his brother-in-law, peremptorily ordering him to deprive Cortes of the squadron. But the alcalde saw that Cortes had so many friends among the soldiers and officers that the whole town would be divided, and perhaps sacked, and he hesitated to act; while Cortes, writing Velasquez of his astonishment at his decision, repeating his desire to serve God and his governor, and advising him to listen no further to his cousin, sent his letter by the messenger who had brought the order for his arrest.
The next step of Cortes was to have his men put their arms in repair, and every smith in town was soon at work pointing our lances, while the crossbowmen overhauled stocks and made arrows. After twelve days at Trinidad we sailed for Havana.
Each man of us had his choice either to go to Havana by sea, or march by land and pick up some men who lived along the way. Fifty other soldiers and I gladly joined Alvarado, who had command overland, and our duties were increased by charge of all our horses. Every one of us arrived safely in Havana. But five days passed without news of Cortes and his ship, and we began to wonder if he had been lost near the Isle of Pines. At last, to the great joy of us gentlemen and soldiers, his ship appeared over the horizon. It seemed he had had the misfortune, when off the Isle of Pines, to run aground, for many shallows are there, and all the cargo of his ship had to be taken ashore in boatfuls before she could be floated, and, after she had taken deeper water, to be carried back and again packed in.
The heart of Cortes leaped with joy when he saw assembled in Havana the many men of rank who had joined us. They brought to our stores quantities of cassava bread and cured bacon. And now cotton being very plentiful, we made well padded cuirasses to protect ourselves from the Indians' darts, arrows, lances and stones, and meanwhile Cortes ordered our heavy guns, ten brass cannon and a few falconets brought ashore, tested and furnished with balls and powder.
When all this was settled, the horses and stores of maize and hay for their provender were distributed among the ships. Cortes had a dark chestnut horse. Pedro de Alvarado and Hernando de Avila had jointly an excellent brown mare, broken in for sport and battle alike. Alonzo Hernandez Puertocarrero, a grey mare, the same which Cortes had bought for him with the gold border from his cloak; and she was capitally trained for battle. Juan Velasquez de Leon, a grey mare also, a noble animal full of fire and eager for battle—we commonly called her Bobtail. Cristobal de Olid, a dark, chestnut, fine-spirited horse. Francisco de Montejo and Alonzo de Avila, between them, a sorrel horse of little use in battle. Francisco de Morla, a dark chestnut horse, wonderfully swift and easily guided, while Juan de Escalente had a light chestnut horse with three white stockings, not worth much, and Diego de Ordas had a grey mare that was tolerably good, but not swift. Gonzalo Dominguez, a small, dark chestnut horse, very swift. Pedro Gonzalez de Trujillo had also a chestnut that was a good goer. Moron had a very handy dappled horse, Baena a dappled horse that was a bad leaper. Lares an excellent, light-chestnut goer, Ortiz, the musician, and Bartolome Garcia, between them, a good dark horse, which they called The Mule-driver, and Juan Sedeno, a chestnut mare. This Juan Sedeno was thought the richest soldier in the fleet, for he had a ship of his own, his own lading of cassava bread and salt pork, a negro and a horse—and about that time horses and negroes were worth their weight in gold.
Let us turn back for a moment to Diego Velasquez. When he knew for certain that his brotherin-law, the alcalde of Trinidad, had not only confirmed Cortes in his government of the fleet, but had helped him to get away, he roared with rage, they said, declaring Cortes had run off with the whole squadron, and that his own two favorites had lent the captain every possible aid. Nor did he stop here. He despatched letters to his sub-governor of Havana, and to his friends there, praying them by all the friendship they bore him not to permit the fleet to get away, and to send Cortes under guard to Santiago.
As soon as the bearer of these despatches arrived, Cortes learned their tenor, and through the bearer himself—for a friar of the Order of Mercy, who was much in the company of Velasquez, forwarded by this same messenger a letter to a friar who was in the fleet. By this means Cortes learned the whole affair, and he at once went to the sub-governor and won him to his side—this was easily done because the sub-governor was put out with Velasquez for not giving him a better grant of Indians—so that he sent back the messenger with the word that he dared not seize Cortes, for he was too beloved by his soldiers, and he feared, if he should, they would sack the town and carry off his people. Cortes himself wrote to Velasquez in the smooth terms he knew so well how to use, assuring him that he did nothing against the governor's interests, that he was his faithful servant and was going to set sail the very next day.
The fleet sailed on the 10th of February, 1519, and shaping its course direct to Cozumel, we landed our men in the same harbor I mentioned when I told of our expedition under Grijalva. Three days after we were landed Cortes ordered a muster to see how many of us there were. Not counting pilots and sailors, who were about one hundred, we numbered five hundred and eight men; and sixteen horses or mares, all trained for sport or war. We had eleven ships, great and small, and one, a sort of brig, which belonged to one man. Thirteen of our number were musketeers, and thirty-two, perhaps, crossbowmen. Added to these were our ten cannon, four falconets and quantities of powder and balls.
After this review, Cortes ordered certain artillerymen to keep all our guns clean and ready for use, and likewise two crossbowmen to inspect the crossbows and see that every crossbow had two or three nuts and as many cords carefully stored. He also ordered that the men should exercise in shooting at a target, and the horses be accustomed to fire-arms and kept in fine condition. But I should not use so much ink in telling how particular and exact Cortes was—except to say he was most vigilant about the merest trifles.
- ↑ "I must inform the reader," wrote Bernal Diaz, "why, when speaking of Cortes, I never call him Don Hernando Cortes, or marquis, or by any other title but plainly Cortes. The reason is that he himself was best pleased when he was simply addressed as Cortes. And besides this first reason is a second;—the name of Cortes stood in equal renown throughout the whole of Spain after the mastering of Mexico, as in old Roman times the names of Julius Cæsar and of Pompey stood among the Roman peoples, and among the Carthaginians the name of Hannibal."