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ighted, and on their return to Narvaez
they could scarcely say sufficient in praise of Cortes and of us all.

While these men were still with us, many of our soldiers, for the sake
of ostentation, had decorated themselves with gold chains and jewels,
which spread a vast idea of our splendour. All this produced such a
favorable impression in Narvaez's head-quarters, that many of his chief
officers desired that peace might be brought about between both
generals.

In the meantime we continued our march, and arrived in Tampanicita,
where Sandoval the day following likewise appeared with his small
detachment, consisting of sixty men; the old and infirm of the garrison,
as I have above mentioned, having been previously quartered among our
allies, the Papalote Indians. He likewise brought along with him the
five friends and relatives of Aillon, who had deserted from Narvaez, and
had long desired to pay their respects to Cortes, who gave them the most
friendly reception, and then entered into a private conversation with
Sandoval, who related to him all the particulars respecting the affair
with the furious priest Guevara and his companion Vergara. Sandoval
likewise told him how he had sent two Spanish soldiers into Narvaez's
head-quarters disguised as Indians. They had the exact appearance of
natives, took each a basket of cherries with them, and did as if they
were desirous of selling them. They soon met with a purchaser, in the
person of the braggadocio Salvatierra, who gave them a string of glass
beads for their fruit, and fully believing they were Indians, sent them
to cut some grass for his horse. It was about the hour of Ave-Maria,
when they returned with a load of grass, and carried it to the shed,
where the horse was tied up. They then cowered down, after the fashion
of Indians, near Salvatierra's quarters, and overheard a discourse
between him and several others of Narvaez's officers. Among other things
they heard Salvatierra exclaim, "O! at what a fortunate time we have
arrived in this country, just as the traitor Cortes has collected above
700,000 pesos! We shall all become wealthy; for his officers and
soldiers all together cannot have a much less sum than that in their
pockets."

They listened to many similar fine speeches till a late hour at night,
when they stole off silently to the shed where Salvatierra's horse was
fastened up, which they very quietly saddled and bridled, and so rode
off with it. In the same way they managed to capture a second horse on
their road home, and brought them both safely to Sandoval.

Cortes was very desirous to see those horses, but Sandoval told him he
had left them with the invalid soldiers in Papalote, as he had marched
along a very steep and rugged road over the mountains, where horses
could not pass, which he had done that he might not fall in with
Narvaez's troops.

Cortes was vastly pleased with the trick which had been played off upon
Salvatierra, and the manner in which he had lost his horse, and
exclaimed, "He will now threaten us with more vengeance than ever!" The
following morning, we were told, when he found the two Indians, who sold
him the cherries had decamped with his horse, saddle, and bridle, he
threw out language really laughable, particularly when he discovered
they had been disguised Spaniards belonging to Cortes' troops.

[77] According to Torquemada, Motecusuma, accompanied by a distinguished
suite, conducted the Spaniards as far as Iztapalapan. (p. 303.)

[78] Probably Topaniqueta, which sounds more like an Indian name. (p.
304.)

CHAPTER CXVI.

 _How we determined once more to despatch father Olmedo to Narvaez's
 head-quarters, and what we commissioned him to say._

As soon as all our troops had arrived at Tampanicita, we determined to
despatch father Olmedo, who was a remarkably shrewd man, to Narvaez with
a letter, which, after expressing the usual courtesies, ran nearly as
follows:

We all rejoiced at his arrival in this country, as we were confident
that, in conjunction with such a valiant captain as he was, we should be
able to render important services to God and to our emperor. It was true
he had not only neglected to answer our previous letter, but had even
branded us, his majesty's faithful subjects, with the name of traitors;
and, by means of the message he had conveyed to Motecusuma, the whole
country was about to burst out into open insurrection. We hereby begged
of him to select that province which he fancied most for himself and
troops; we were very willing to make room for him, and to act in every
respect as beseemed faithful servants of the emperor. We had likewise
requested him to forward us the original papers of his appointment, if
he possessed any such, that we might convince ourselves they were signed
by his majesty. However, he had not even listened to this request, but
had thrown out abusive language against us, and incited the inhabitants
of the country to revolt. We now again begged of him, in the name of
God, and the emperor our master, to forward us his papers within the
space of three days by a royal secretary, that he might read them to us;
as we were ready, and also promised to act up strictly to his majesty's
commands, if his documents were correct. For this purpose we had
expressly come to Tampanicita, to be near his person. If he was unable
to produce any such appointment direct from his majesty, and he was
again desirous of returning to Cuba, he was at liberty to do so; we
merely desired him to desist from stirring up the inhabitants into open
insurrection, or we should consider ourselves bound to treat him as an
enemy, take him prisoner, and send him in chains to the emperor, without
whose authority he had commenced war upon us, and revolutionised all the
towns of the country. Every drop of blood that was spilt, all
destruction of property which would ensue from fire or otherwise, he
would himself have to answer for.

Our reason for communicating these things to him by letter only was,
because no royal secretary durst venture to convey them in person,
fearing he might share a similar fate with the auditor Aillon; and we
were astonished how he durst presume to act so daringly. Cortes
considered himself bound in honour and justice to his majesty not to
allow such a heavy offence to pass by unpunished; and he hereby summoned
him, by virtue of his office as captain-general and chief-justice of New
Spain, to appear before him and answer the charge preferred against him
of _criminis læsæ majestatis_. Lastly, he earnestly begged of him to
return the cotton stuffs and gold trinkets he had forcibly taken away
from the fat cazique; to deliver up to their parents again the Indian
females who had been presented to us; and to command his men in no way
to touch the property of the inhabitants.

This letter, which closed with the usual courteous expressions, was
signed by Cortes, the officers, and other soldiers, among whom was
myself. With this letter father Olmedo, accompanied by 

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