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best
countenance he could to this reproof, and to silence this open-hearted
man by promises and presents; for the determined and bold character of
Avila was too well known to him, and he feared his resentment. He
therefore suppressed his injured feelings, and from that moment took
every opportunity of sending him to some distance on one or other
important commission; so he despatched him some after to St. Domingo,
and subsequently to Spain, to present the garderobe and the treasure of
Motecusuma to the emperor. This latter voyage, however, terminated very
unfortunately, for Avila, with the whole of those treasures, was
captured by the redoubted French pirate Jean Florin, as we shall see in
the proper place.

But to return to Narvaez. He happened to have a negro servant with him
ill with the smallpox, through whom this terrific disease, which,
according to the accounts of the inhabitants, was previously unknown in
the country, spread itself through New Spain, where it created the
greater devastation, from the poor Indians, in their ignorance, solely
applying cold water as a remedy, with which they constantly bathed
themselves; so that vast numbers were cut off before they had the
blessing of being received into the bosom of the Christian church.[85]

It was also about this time that the garrison of Vera Cruz demanded the
portion of the gold which fell to their share in the division at Mexico.
These men maintained, that, though they had not made the campaign of
Mexico with us, they had shown themselves no less deserving in the cause
of God and the emperor than ourselves, as they had guarded the coast and
built a fortress; and that many of them who had fought at the battle of
Almeria were still suffering from their wounds, while others again had
been taken prisoners by Narvaez, who had treated them with great
severity: they concluded, therefore, they were justly entitled to a
share of the treasure found in Mexico.

Cortes acknowledged the justness of their claim, and requested them to
despatch two of the principal men from among them to take charge of
their respective share, and, if I am not mistaken, he added that it had
been deposited for safe keeping in Tlascalla: at least, they immediately
after sent two of their numbers there to take possession of it, of whom
Juan de Alcantara the elder was one. We shall, however, soon see what
became of Alcantara with all the gold; how quickly the wheel of fortune
turned against us, and trouble and sorrow followed peace and joy; for we
received intelligence that all Mexico had risen up in arms, that
Alvarado was besieged in his quarters, and that the Mexicans were
attempting to set fire to the new fortifications at every point. Seven
of our men had already been killed, many were wounded, and immediate
assistance was required.

This information was first brought us by two Tlascallans, and that
without any letter from Alvarado. Soon after, however, two other
Tlascallans arrived with a letter from him confirmatory of this bad
news. God knows how shocked we were at this intelligence! We immediately
resolved to hasten to Mexico by forced marches. Narvaez and Salvatierra
were sent under escort to Vera Cruz, where Rodrigo Rangel, whom Cortes
had just appointed commandant of that place, was made responsible for
the safe custody of their persons. Besides these, Rangel took along with
him several of Narvaez's men, who were suffering from ill-health.

Just as we were about to commence our march to Mexico, four
distinguished personages arrived from that town, who had been sent by
Motecusuma to complain to our general of the conduct of Alvarado. They
told us, with tears in their eyes, that he had, without any provocation,
sallied out with the whole of his troops, and fallen unawares upon their
chiefs and caziques while they were celebrating a feast in honour of
their gods Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipuca, Alvarado himself having
previously given his consent to the celebration of that feast. Many of
their chief personages had been killed and wounded, so that, at last,
they were compelled to defend themselves, and six Spaniards were killed
in the affray. To this and other complaints against Alvarado, Cortes
told them, with a dark frown on his brow, that he would repair
immediately in person to Mexico, and look into the matter. With this
message the Indians returned to their monarch, who, it is said, was
anything but pleased with it. Cortes, at the same time, wrote word to
Alvarado that we were advancing by forced marches upon Mexico, and
particularly cautioned him not to let Motecusuma escape out of his
hands. He likewise informed him of the victory we had gained over
Narvaez, though he had no doubt already been apprized of this, for it
was known to Motecusuma.

[85] Of this dreadful disease Gomara says, that it spread from Sempoalla
through the whole of New Spain, and that in the greater part of the
townships half of the inhabitants were carried off by it. It was a
custom among the inhabitants to go immediately from a hot bath into a
cold one, so that it was a wonder any escaped death. Those that survived
could not help scratching themselves, which naturally left large scars,
and rendered them hideous to look at. Torquemada agrees with Gomara, but
adds, from the authority of the Indians, that this and other
pestilential diseases spread at certain times through the whole of the
country; and Bernal Diaz, in describing the person of the younger
Xicotencatl, says his face was pitted as if with the smallpox. (p. 332.)

CHAPTER CXXV.

 _How we all, including Narvaez's troops, hasten to Mexico by forced
 marches._

On receiving the intelligence that Mexico was in rebellion, and Alvarado
besieged in his quarters, the plan of forming settlements in Panuco and
Guacasualco was for the present abandoned, and Leon and Ordas were again
ordered to join the main body.

Cortes soon found that Narvaez's troops were very unwilling to join us
in the Mexican campaign; but he desired them, in a most kind manner, to
forget the old enmity which had existed between Narvaez and himself, and
assured them that their only way to wealth and eminence was to join us
in this campaign; by so doing they would enter into a country where they
would be able to render services unto God and the emperor; and this,
too, was an opportunity which perhaps would not so readily present
itself again. In short, he told them so many fine things, that they one
and all agreed to accompany us: if, however, they had had any idea of
Mexico's vast power, not one of them would have been so ready to join
us.

We now broke up our quarters, and marched forward with all expedition.
In Tlascalla, we were informed that the Mexicans had continued their
hostilities against Alvarado as long as Motecusuma and his generals
believed we were at war with Narvaez. They had killed seven of our men
and burned down a portion of our quarters there, and had not stayed
hostilities until they heard of the recent victory we

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