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umoured among Narvaez's officers that you and I have
quarrelled, and that you intend siding with their party. I am,
therefore, resolved that you shall ride on your powerful gray mare to
Narvaez's head-quarters, taking with you all your gold, besides your
_fanfarrona_, (so Velasquez termed a heavy gold chain he possessed,) and
other valuable matters I shall give you, among which there will be a
fanfarrona double the weight of yours. When there, you must try to fish
out what Narvaez's intentions are. After you, Ordas shall likewise
repair thither, as if he came to pay his respects to Narvaez in his
capacity of house-steward to the governor of Cuba."

To this Juan Velasquez answered, that he would gladly fulfil his
commands, but must refuse either to take his gold or his chain with him.
If he were desirous of furnishing him with any valuable trinkets for
some other persons, he would promise to deliver them safely; where he
went himself, he thought, he would be better able to serve him by his
proper wits than with all the gold and jewels put together. "Of this,"
replied Cortes, "I am also fully convinced, which is the reason I made
choice of you; but if you refuse to take all your gold and valuables
with you, you had much better remain here."

Juan Velasquez still refused to comply for some time, when Cortes took
him aside, and spoke a few words to him in private; Velasquez then
yielded to his request, and set out on his journey, accompanied by Juan
del Rio, one of Cortes' servants.

As soon as Velasquez, whom Cortes had merely despatched to Narvaez to
annoy the latter, had departed, he issued orders to the drummer
Canillas, and our piper Benito, to sound their instruments, and desired
Sandoval to draw up the troops in marching order, and we moved briskly
forward to Sempoalla. On our road we killed two musk swine,[81] which
our soldiers construed into a token of victory. The night following, we
encamped on the slope of a hill near to a brook, made, as was our
custom, bolsters of large stones, carefully posted our sentinels, and
ordered the patrols.

The next morning we marched forward in a straight line, and arrived
towards midday at that river on whose banks the town of Vera Cruz at
present stands, and goods are landed which arrive from Spain. At that
time we found merely a few Indian huts and straggling trees there, under
which we rested ourselves for a considerable time, as we found the heat
very oppressive. We must now return to Juan Velasquez, and see what
befel him in Narvaez's camp.

[81] Respecting this animal, see note 5, p. 22. (p. 313.)

CHAPTER CXX.

 _How Juan Velasquez arrives in Narvaez's head-quarters, and what
 took place there._

Juan Velasquez travelled so fast that he arrived at Sempoalla towards
daybreak. He alighted at the house of the fat cazique; as the servant
whom Cortes had sent with him had no horse, he therefore walked on foot
to Narvaez's quarters. The Indians of Sempoalla all recognized him, and
were highly pleased to see and converse with him again. When, however,
some of Narvaez's men, who were quartered in the cazique's house, heard
the Indians say that it was Velasquez de Leon, one of Malinche's
officers, they hastened to Narvaez, and told him they brought a piece of
news for which they might expect a reward. And before Leon had arrived
at the latter's quarters, Narvaez, who was highly delighted to hear of
his arrival, hastened out, accompanied by several of his officers, to
meet him, and received him with a hearty embrace. After they had entered
his abode, he requested Velasquez to take a chair, (for in this
expedition they had even furnished themselves with such things,) and
reproached him in a friendly tone for not having alighted at his
quarters, and immediately sent some of his men for his horse and
baggage, as he would not hear of his staying in any house but his own.
Velasquez, however, observed, that he could not stay long, as he had
merely come to pay his respects to him and his officers, and try if
peace and friendship could not be brought about between his excellency
and Cortes.

Narvaez's blood rose to his cheeks at this expression, and he asked
Velasquez how he could talk of peace and friendship with a man who had,
like a traitor, run away with the whole armament of his own cousin, the
governor of Cuba?

Juan Velasquez replied, in an equally sharp tone of voice, that Cortes
was not a traitor, but a faithful servant to his emperor; that such
services as he had rendered to the crown could not be termed the
actions of a traitor, and he must beg of him not again to make use of
such expressions in his presence.

Upon this Narvaez assumed a different tone, and made Velasquez vast
promises if he would remain with him; even promised him, and sealed it
with an oath, that he would elevate him to second in command to himself,
if he would manage to induce Cortes' troops to join his standard of
their own free will. Velasquez, however, assured him he should consider
himself the vilest of traitors if he deserted a general to whom he had
sworn fidelity, and of whom he was convinced that everything he had done
in New Spain was for the emperor's best interest. On the contrary, he
was determined to remain as faithful and true to Cortes as to the
emperor himself, and he earnestly begged of him not to touch upon that
string again.

During this conversation, Narvaez's chief officers had, by degrees, all
arrived to pay their respects to Velasquez, which they did with every
show of courtesy, as Velasquez was a man of elegant carriage and
powerful stature, and had a winning countenance; his beard looked
majestic, a heavy gold chain hung from his shoulder in graceful folds,
and sat well on this courageous and spirited officer. After this
discourse with Narvaez, Velasquez turned to the other officers, and
entered into private conversation with father Olmedo, Duero, and
Bermudez.

Narvaez's party, however, were of a different opinion with respect to
Velasquez, and some of the officers, among whom were Gamarra, Juan
Yuste, Juan Bono de Quexo, and the braggadocio Salvatierra, pressed
Narvaez very hard to throw him into chains, as he was secretly striving
to gain over his men in favour of Cortes. This Narvaez was very willing
to do, and had already issued orders to that purpose, when Bermudez,
Duero, and several others who favored our general, received intimation
thereof, and remonstrated with Narvaez as to the policy of such a step,
and the benefit he would derive from it, as Cortes, though he had an
additional hundred officers such as Velasquez, would be unable to cope
with him. He should also bear in mind how Cortes had received all those
who visited his camp; how well he had treated every one, and presented
them so plentifully with jewels and other matters, that every one, up to
the present moment, had left him laden like bees returning to their
hives. It was equally in Cortes' power to have detained Duero, the
priest Guevara, and others; this, howeve

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