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…
place in Mexico, he was desired immediately to repair with his troops to Truxillo. No
intelligencecould have been more welcome to Sandoval; and, after arranging matterswith
Rojas, he marched with the utmost expedition towards thecoast.
Cortes conferred upon Saavedra the chief command of the provinces about Truxillo, and
gave him particular instructions as to what he wasto do. He also wrote to Luis Marin and
we others who were underhis command, informing us of the arrival of father Altamirano,
and desiring us to march forward to Guatimala. The captain Diego de Godoy, who had
previously commanded in Puerto de Caballos, wasordered to march with his men into the
province of Naco. The letters which were destined for us, Cortes gave in charge to
Saavedra, with instructions that they were to be forwarded to us immediately; but, from
sheer malice, he neglected to do so, and they never came to hand.To return to my narrative;
I must not forget to mention that Cortes,previous to embarking, fell so dangerously ill again
that his life wasactually despaired of, and the last sacrament was administered to him;yet
he had the good fortune to recover this time also, and he set sail from Truxillo with a
considerable suite. He had the most beautifulweather all the way to the Havannah, where
he put in to await a morefavorable wind for his passage to New Spain. The inhabitants of
the last-mentioned town were exceedingly rejoiced at seeing him again, and he greatly
recruited his strength in this place. While here, he evenreceived very satisfactory accounts
from Mexico, where the news of hisspeedy return had produced this good effect, that the
Indians of Coatlan called of their own account upon the treasurer Estrada, and again
submitted,on certain conditions, as vassals of our emperor.
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CHAPTER CXC.
Cortes sets sail from the Havannah, and has a favorable passage to Vera
Cruz, where he is received with the greatest rejoicings.
After Cortes had been five days at the Havannah, he began togrow very impatient for the
hour of his departure, so greatly did helong to be once more in Mexico. He therefore gave
orders for embarkingwithout any further delay, and arrived, after a very favorable passage
of twelve days, in the harbour of Medellin, opposite the island of Sacrificios, where he
dropped anchor for the night. He himself disembarked,with twenty of his most trustworthy
soldiers, intending tomarch to San Juan de Ulua, which was only a couple of miles distant;
but it fortunately happened he should come up with a party of travellerswho had a number
of horses with them, and were on their wayto the harbour he had just left to embark for
Spain. Cortes tookpossession of the horses, and then proceeded direct to Vera Cruz,which
was distant about twenty miles.
When he stepped on shore, he had given strict orders that no oneshould hasten to the lastmentioned
town to announce his arrival. Itwas about two o'clock in the morning when he
entered Vera Cruz, and he immediately repaired with his suite to the church, the door of
whichwas open. After they had been a short time in the church, the sacristan,who had but
recently arrived from Spain, walked in, and he wasnot a little astonished to find the seats
filled with strangers, of whom not a single person was known to him. Quite alarmed, he
instantly hurried out into the streets, called out to the watch, and hastened to call up the
chief authorities to inform them that there were a greatnumber of strangers in the church.
The alcalde-mayor soon made his appearance with the other magistrates, three alguacils,
and several of the inhabitants. The whole of them marched armed into the church, and
peremptorily commanded the strangers to leave the church without delay. As Cortes was
very much fatigued with the journey,and scarcely looked himself, he was not recognized by
the inhabitantsuntil they heard his voice. They then at the same moment knewfather Juan
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