Cortes received his commission with the warmest expression of respect and gratitude to the governor, and immediately erected his standard before his own house, and assumed all the ensigns of his new dignity. He persuaded many of his friends to engage in the service, and to urge forward the preparations for the voyage. He mortgaged all his lands and Indians to procure money, which he expended in purchasing military stores and provisions, or in supplying such of his officers as were unable to equip themselves in a manner suited to their rank.

Inoffensive and laudable as this conduct was, his disappointed competitors were so malicious as to give it a turn to his disadvantage: they accused him at aiming, with Hittle disguise, to establish an independent authority over his troops, and endeavouring to secure their respect and love, by an ostentatious display of his liberality. They reminded Velasquez of his former dissentions, with the man in whom he now reposed so much confidence; and predicted, that Cortes would avail himself of the power which he was putting into his hands to avenge past injuries, rather than to requite late obligations. These insinuations made a powerful impression on the jealous mind of Velasquez.

Cortes soon observed a growing alienation, and distrust in his behaviour, and was advised by his friends Lares and Duero, to hasten his departure, before these should become so confirmed, as to break out into open violence. Cortes, sensible of the danger, hastened his preparations with such rapidity, that he set sail from St. Jago de Cuba on the eighteenth of November; Velasquez accompanied him to the shore, and took leave of him with apparent friendship, though he had secretly given it in charge to some of his officers, to have a watchful eye upon every part of their commander's conduct.

Cortes proceeded to Trinidad, a small settlement on the same side of the island, where he was joined by several adventurers, and received a further supply of provi sions and stores. He had hardly left St. Jago, when the jealousy of Velasquez grew so violent, as to be impossible for him to suppress it. Imagination now exaggerated every circumstance which had before excited suspicion : his rivals, by their suggestions, increased his fears, and called superstition to their aid, employing the predictions of an astrologer to complete their designs. All these

united, produced the desired effect. Velasquez repented bitterly of his own imprudence, in committing a trust of such importance to a person, in whose fidelity he could no longer trust; and hastily dispatched instructions to Trinidad, empowering Verdugo, the chief magistrate there, to deprive Cortes of his commission. But Cortes secure in the esteem, and confidence of his troops, and finding they were zealous to support his authority: he, by soothing or intimidating Verdugo, was permitted to depart from Trinidad without molestation.

Cortes sailed for the Havanna, in order to raise more soldiers, and complete the victualling of his fleet. There several persons of distinction entered into his service, and engaged to supply what provisions were wanting.

While this was doing, Velasquez availed himself of the interval, sensible that it would be improper to rely on a man of whom he had openly shewn such distrust, made one attempt more to wrest the command out of the hands of Cortes. Anxious to guard against a second disappointment, he sent a person, in whom he could confide, to the Havanna, with peremptory injunctions to Pedro Barba, his lieutenant governor in that colony, instantly to arrest Cortes, and send him prisoner to St. Jago under a strong guard; and to countermand the departure of the armament until he should receive further orders.

He also wrote to the principal officers, requiring them to assist Barba in executing what he had given him in charge. Fortunately for Cortes, a Franciscan friar of St. Jago had secretly conveyed an account of this interesting intelligence to Bartholomew de Olmedo, a monk of the same order, and who acted as chaplain to the expedition. This gave Cortes time to take precautions for his safety. He found some pretext to remove from the Havanna, Diego de Ordaz, an officer of great abilities, but whose known attachment to Velasquez, made it unsafe to trust him in this trying and delicate juncture. He therefore gave him the command of a vessel that was to proceed to a small harbour beyond Cape Antonio, and thus removed him from his presence, without appearing to suspect his fidelity.

When Ordaz was gone, Cortes informed his officers and soldiers who were equally impatient to set out upon the expedition, in preparing for which, most of them had expended all their fortunes. They expressed their astonishment and indignation at that illiberal jealousy, to

the governor was about to sacrifice the honour of their general, and all their sanguine hopes of glory and wealth. They all with one voice entreated him, not to abandon them, and deprive them of a leader whom they followed with such unbounded confidence, and offered to shed the last drop of their blood in maintaining his authority. Cortes was easily persuaded to comply with what he so ardently desired. He swore he would never desert soldiers, who had given him such a signal proof of their attachment, and promised instantly to conduct them to that rich country, which had been so long the subject of their thoughts and wishes.

This declaration was received with transports of mili tary applause, accompanied with threats and imprecations against all who should presume to call in question the jufisdiction of their general, or obstruct the execution of his designs. Every thing was now ready for their departure. The fleet consisted of eleven vessels, the largest was one hundred tons burden, which was dignified with the name of admiral; three of seventy or eighty tons, and the rest small open barks. On board of these were six hundred and seventeen men; of which, five hundred and eight be longed to the land service, and a hundred and nine were seamen and artificers. The soldiers were divided into eleven companies, to each of which Cortes appointed a captain.

As the use of fire-arms among the nations of Europe, I was hitherto confined to a few battalions of disciplined infantry, only thirteen soldiers were armed with muskets, thirty-two were cross-bow men, and the rest had swords and spears. Instead of their usual defensive armour, they wore quilted-cotton jackets; these had been found a suffi cient protection against the weapons of the Indians. They had only sixteen horses, ten small field pieces, and four fal

conets.

With this slender, and ill-provided train, did Cortes set sail to make war upon a monarch, whose dominions were more extensive, than all the kingdoms subject to the Spanish crown. A large cross was displayed on their standards, with this inscription, "Let us follow the cross, for "under this sign we shall conquer." Thus, enthusiasm and avarice united in prompting the Spaniards in all their enterprizes.

So powerfully were Cortes and his companions, animated with both these passions, that no less eager to plunder

the opulent country, to which they were bound, than zealous to propagate the Christian faith among its inhabitants, they set out with that confidence, which arises from security of success, and certainty of divine protection.

Cortes steered directly for the island of Cozumel, which Grijalva had visited; there he had the good fortune to redeem Jerome de Aguilar, a Spaniard, who had been eight years a prisoner among the Indians. This man was perfectly acquainted with a dialect of their language, understood through a large extent of country, and who possessed besides, a considerable share of prudence and sagacity; and who proved extremely useful as an interpreter.

From Cozumel, Cortes proceeded to Tabasco, in hopes of meeting as friendly a reception from the natives, as Grijalva had; and of finding gold in the same abundance: but the disposition of the natives was entirely changed. After endeavouring in vain, to conciliate their good will, he was constrained to have recourse to violence. Though the forces of the enemy were numerous, and advanced with extraordinary courage, they were routed with great slaugh ter, in several successive actions. The loss they sustained, and still more the astonishment and terror excited by the destructive effects of the fire-arms, and the dreadful appearance of the horses, humbled their fierce spirits, and induced them to sue for peace. They acknowledged the king of Castile as their sovereign, and granted Cortes a supply of provisions, with a present of cotton garments, some gold, and twenty female slaves.

The next place they touched at, was St. Juan de Ulua. As he entered the harbour, a large canoe, full of people, amongst whom there appeared two persons of distinction, who approached the ship with signs of peace, and friendship. They came on board without fear, or shewing any symptoms of distrust, and addressed Cortes in a most respectful manner, but in a language unknown to Aguilar. Cortes was in the utmost perplexity at an event, which he instantly foresaw would be attended with very disagreeable consequences. But he did not remain long in this embarrassed situation. One of the female slaves, whom he had received from the cazique of Tabasco, was present at the interview: she saw the distress of Cortes, and the confusion of Aguilar; and, as she perfectly understood the Mexican language, she explained what they said in the Yucatan tongue. This woman, known afterwards by the I

VOL. I.

name of Donna Marina, will make a considerable figure in the history of the New World: having being carried off a captive by some hostile party, after a variety of adventures, had fallen into the hands of the Tabascans, though formerly a native of the Mexican empire.

Though it was tedious and troublesome to converse by the intervention of two different interpreters, Cortes was so highly pleased, that he considered it in the transports of his joy, as a visible interposition of Divine Providence in his favour.

The two persons whom he had received on board his ship, were deputies from Pilpatoe, and Teutile; the one governor of that province, under a great monarch, whom they called Montezuma; and the other, the commander of his forces there. They informed Cortes, that they were sent to inquire what were his views in visiting their coast; and to offer him assistance if he stood in need, in order to continue his voyage. Cortes, struck with the appearance of those people, as well as the tenor of their message, assured them in respectful terms, that he approached their country with the most friendly intentions; that he came to propose matters of great importance to the welfare of their prince and people, which he would unfold more fully in person to the governor and general.

Next morning, without waiting for an answer, he landed his troops, his horses and artillery; and began to erect huts, and fortify his camp. The natives, instead of opposing the entrance of those fatal guests into their country, assisted them in all their operations, with an alacrity of which they afterwards had good reason to repent.

Next day Pilpatoe and Teutile entered the Spanish camp with a numerous retinue; and Cortes treated them with that respect due to the ministers of a great monarch, and received them with much formal ceremony. He informed them that he came as ambassador from Don Carlos of Austria, king of Castile, the greatest monarch of the east and was entrusted with propositions of such moment, that he could impart them to none but the emperor Montezuma himself; and therefore required them to conduct him without delay into the presence of their master.

The Mexican officers could not conceal their uneasiness at a request which they knew would be disagreeable to their sovereign, whose mind had been filled with many