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

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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… While we were still lying in Truxillo, a cavalier, named RodrigoMannueca, wished by some means or other to enliven Cortes, who was exceedingly downcast, and certainly required something to rouse hisspirits; for which purpose he, with several other cavaliers, clambered suddenly, in full armour, to the top of a house, which the Indianshad recently built; but this bit of fun terminated fatally for Mannueca. The house stood upon a hill of considerable height, and poor Mannuecafell through the roof, broke his ribs, and died shortly after of the consequences. Another circumstance likewise caused our general much grief, whichwas, that several of the cavaliers of the town, being dissatisfied with the appointments he had given them, boldly refused to obey him, and hecould only succeed in quieting them by promising that they shouldaccompany him to Mexico, when he would bestow honorable appointmentson them all. [Pg 289] He then desired Diego de Godoy, whom he had appointed commandant of Puerto de Caballos, to repair to Naco with those of theinhabitants, who were suffering from ill health, and unable to live anylonger in the former place, on account of the innumerable swarms of moschitoes and flies. The rest of us, under command of Luis Marin,were to take our route overland to Mexico, and, if possible, to march through the province of Nicaragua, the government of which our generalmeant to petition his majesty to join to that of New Spain. We then took leave of Cortes, just as he was about embarking forMexico, and we marched in a direct line for Naco, in the best spirits, because we were now on our return to New Spain. After suffering agreat deal of fatigue and hunger, we arrived safely in Naco, to the great joy of Sandoval. Pedro de Garro had already left, with the whole of his men for Nicaragua, to inform his captain, Francisco Hernandez, ofthe arrangements he had made with Sandoval; neither did we lose amoment's time, but broke up our quarters for Mexico the morning afterwe arrived in Naco. I will not tire the reader by relating to him what happened to us onthis long march, but rather acquaint him with the unfortunate end ofFrancisco Hernandez. CHAPTER CLXXXVI. How Pedro Arias de Avila is apprized by two of his confidants thatFrancisco Hernandez was in close correspondence with Cortes, andabout to declare his independence of him; the steps which Ariastook upon this. Among the troops under Francisco Hernandez there were two soldiers,named Garavita and Zamorano, who were close adherents to Pedro Arias,the governor of Terra Firma. When these men saw the presents which Cortes had sent to Hernandez, and observed how the latter held secret conferences with Garro and other of his officers, they suspected that Hernandez designed giving Cortes possession of the province of Nicaragua. They consequently hastened off to communicate theirsuspicions to Arias. Garavita, in particular, evinced a considerable degree of zeal in this matter, for he had an old spite against our general;namely, when they were both young men, and living at St. Domingo,they came to blows about some woman, and Garavita came off worst,with a thorough good drubbing. [Pg 290] On receiving this information, Arias marched out in person, at thehead of a large body of troops, and soon arrived in Nicaragua, wherehe instantly seized Hernandez. Pedro de Garro had been wise enoughnot to await his arrival, and sought refuge in our camp. The former had had sufficient time to have done the same, but, unfortunatelyfor him, he put his trust in the previous friendship which existed between himself and Pedro Arias, and felt quite https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32475/32475-h/32475-h.htm 192/282
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… confident the latterwould behave leniently towards him. Arias, however, paid no respectto former friendship, but immediately put him upon his trial, and as it was proved that he intended to declare his independence of his commander-in-chief, Arias sentenced him to decapitation, which was put into execution in the town which he had himself founded shortlybeforehand. This was all the unfortunate Hernandez gained by thetreaty of Pedro Garro with Cortes, and the fine presents which thelatter had sent him! CHAPTER CLXXXVII. How Cortes, after setting sail, was twice obliged to put back into theharbour of Truxillo; and what further happened. Cortes, after setting sail from Truxillo two several times, was againobliged to put back into the harbour; the first time on account ofa tremendous storm which arose, and the second time on accountof the foremast snapping in two. As our general was suffering bothbodily and mentally, and had been severely attacked by sea-sickness,he determined to postpone his voyage to Mexico to a more favorable season of the year; which he felt the more inclined to do, as he fearedthe factor might seize his person, and throw him into prison. Afterhe had put back for the second time into Truxillo, he desired fatherJuan, who had set sail with him, to perform the mass of the HolyGhost, to make a solemn procession, and to supplicate the Almighty, and the Holy Mary our Lady the Virgin, to enlighten his understanding,and lead him in that path by which he could exert himself mostin the holy service of God. By this means, it appears, he was enlightenedby the Holy Spirit not to leave this province at present, butto continue its colonization. He then despatched three couriers tous in all haste, with orders for us to discontinue our march to Mexico,and to proceed with the further conquest of the country, as his guardianangel, he said, had pointed out this course to him. [Pg 291] When these commands were made known to us, we were ready to burst with rage; we poured out a thousand maledictions upon the man who seemed entirely deserted by his previous good fortune, and who was now working out our total ruin. We boldly told Sandoval to hisface he might remain in this country if he liked, but we were determinednot to be completely ruined, and would continue our march toMexico. Sandoval acknowledged that we were in the right, and saidhe would only request of us to halt until he had informed Cortes of theresolution we had come to, and we had received his answer in return. We then drew up a letter, which was signed by every one of us, andwe despatched it to our general by the same couriers who had brought us his commands. His answer speedily arrived, in which vast promiseswere made to all those who would consent to remain in this countryfor the present; but at the very top of the letter was put: "I haveonly to tell those who do not choose to obey my commands, that thereare plenty of soldiers in Spain." When we received this answer, we were determined to give ourselves no further trouble about him, and forthwith to continue our march toMexico; but Sandoval entreated us so earnestly, and with so muchkindness, to have patience for a few days longer, as he would repairin person to Truxillo, to persuade Cortes to embark, that we consentedto write an answer to his last letter, in which we requested him to take our present position into his consideration, and to rememberthat all our misfortunes were owing to this expedition. It was in supporting his cause, we said, that our possessions had beensold by public auction, and our Indians given away to other persons. Those among us who had left wives and children in New Spain were up to this time without any tidings of them. We therefore urgentlybegged of him to embark for Mexico without delay. With respectto the taunt which https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32475/32475-h/32475-h.htm 193/282
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The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

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