The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

1/25/22, 8:50 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a true an…
A short time after this strong bridge had been completed, I and mycompanions returned to
where the army lay encamped, bringing with us one hundred and thirty loads of maise,
eighty fowls, some honey,some salt, and various kinds of vegetables. Though it was pretty
latewhen we arrived, yet the whole of the men were keeping a sharp lookout for us, as they
were perfectly aware we had gone out in search of provisions; our general, moreover,
having assured them he had goodhopes they would shortly get something to eat, if at least
the Indiansdid not kill me, as they had the four other Spaniards he had despatchedin search
of provisions.
As I was thus approaching the camp in the dark, the whole of ourtroops suddenly fell upon
the provisions like ravenous wolves, and tookentire possession of them, nor did they leave
the smallest quantity,either for Cortes, Sandoval, or the other superior officers. "This isfor
Cortes!" cried they each time they forcibly carried off a load ofprovisions. His major-domo
Carranza, and his butler Guinea, certainlydisputed the possession with them, and tugged
with all their might atthe sacks, but our men were determined to keep all to themselves, and
continually cried out: "Cortes and you regaled yourselves with the hogs while we were
famishing with hunger, and you never offered us a morsel; and now in our turn we are
determined to care for nobodybut ourselves!" In short, all Cortes' officials might say went
fornothing, and they divided the whole of the provisions among themselves.
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When Cortes heard this he stamped the ground with rage, swore hewould bring the guilty
persons to trial and punish them severely.However, after he had given vent to his anger for
some time, and hadconsidered the matter a little, he found that all his threats amountedto
nothing. Yet he sent for me, and asked me, in a tone of reproach,why I had not defended the
possession of the provisions more effectually?I replied, "That he should have despatched a
small detachment to meet me on the road," although, added I, "if your excellency had
formed one of the guard yourself it would have been of no avail,for hunger knows no law."
When he saw that there was no remedy, and that extreme distress alone had induced the
men to act thus he became quite friendlyagain, and praised me in the most flattering terms.
Gonzalo deSandoval happened to be present when he was thus kindly addressingme, and I
still well remember how Cortes said to me, "O! señorBernal Diaz del Castillo, for the love
you bear me, if you have concealedany provisions on the road do, I beg of you, let me share
themwith you! You cannot certainly have forgotten to stow some partaway for yourself
and your friend Sandoval!"
The tone in which he said this went to my very heart; besides that,Sandoval exclaimed, at
the same moment, "I declare to Heavens Ishould feel grateful for a mere handful of maise
to roast on the firefor my supper!"
Well, said I, when all is quiet and the whole of the troops haveretired to rest, we will steal
out in the depth of night and repair to thenext village, where the inhabitants have put by for
me twelve loads ofmaise, twenty fowls, three jars of honey, some salt, and have presented
me besides with two females to bake my bread. We must use theutmost circumspection and
fetch all this while it is yet dark, that ourmen may not again waylay us on the road, and
likewise deprive usof these provisions.
Sandoval was so exceedingly thankful for this fair prospect of gettingsomething to eat in a
short time, that he fell about my neck and embracedme, with the assurance that he would
march out with me thatvery night. We accordingly left our camp in company, had the good
fortune to bring in these provisions unperceived, and we regaled ourselves at our ease.
Cortes upon this inquired whether the monks hadbeen provided for? To which I replied,
that God took better care ofthem than he did, for the soldiers had not forgotten to give them
ashare of the provisions they had plundered, in order that they mightnot perish of hunger.
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