CHAPTER LIX.

_Of the speech which Cortes made to us after our vessels were

destroyed, and how we prepared for our march to Mexico._

After the vessels had been run ashore before our eyes, and we the

officers and soldiers were one morning after mass all standing around

Cortes, the discourse turned upon various military topics, when he

begged our attention for a few minutes, as he had some proposal to make

to us. He then addressed us at great length, as near as possible, to the

following effect. We already knew of the campaign which was in

contemplation. It was of such a nature, that the aid of Jesus Christ,

our Lord, only could bring us forth victorious from all the battles and

engagements which awaited us; but, notwithstanding all the trust we

reposed in God, we should not ourselves be wanting in courage and

activity; should we be worsted, which Almighty God forbid, considering

our small numbers we could expect no other assistance than from above,

and that of our own arms, as we had no longer any vessels to return to

Cuba. Cortes then adduced many beautiful comparisons from history, and

mentioned several heroic deeds of the Romans. We answered him, one and

all, that we would implicitly follow his orders, as the die had been

cast, and we, with Caesar, when he had passed the Rubicon, had now no

choice left; besides which, everything we did was for the glory of God

and his majesty the emperor.

After this speech, whose penetrating eloquence and charming powers I am

unable to repeat, Cortes ordered the fat cazique into his presence, and

reminded him of the care and reverence which was due from him to the

church and the cross. For himself he was now about leaving for Mexico;

he added, to oblige Motecusuma, for the future to abolish all robbery

and the human sacrifices. He also told him he should require two hundred

porters to transport our cannon, and fifty of his best warriors to

accompany us.

When we were about to put ourselves in motion a soldier arrived from

Vera Cruz, whom Cortes had despatched there to fetch more men. He

brought a letter from Juan de Escalante, announcing that a vessel had

been seen off the coast, to which he had made various signals by means

of smoke and other things; had hung out white flags and rode up and down

the coast on horseback dressed in scarlet, to attract the attention of

those on board. He did not doubt for an instant but all this had been

observed by the men on-board, yet they made no signs of running into the

harbour. He had made inquiries along the coast as to where the vessel

had put in, and found she was lying at anchor in the mouth of a small

river, at the distance of about nine miles; he therefore awaited Cortes'

orders as to what further steps he was to take. As soon as Cortes had

read the letter he gave the command of all the troops, then at

Sempoalla, to Alvarado conjointly with Gonzalo de Sandoval. This was the

first time Sandoval had been put in command, for those military

qualities, by which he so greatly distinguished himself all the rest of

his life, now began to develop themselves. Properly speaking, the

command ought to have devolved upon Alonso de Avila, which therefore

created ill blood between him and Sandoval. Upon this Cortes mounted

horse, selected four of our cavalry, and fifty of the most nimble-footed

men amongst us, and marched to Vera Cruz, where we arrived that very

night.