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…
everything that had transpired,and advised him to forward a few bars of gold, with some
jewels, tosooth Tapia in his excessive disappointment; all of which our generalsent without
delay, and our officers purchased some negroes and three horses from Tapia, who then
returned to St. Domingo. Neither didhe meet with the best of receptions there, as the royal
court of audienceand the Hieronymite brotherhood had been exceedingly vexed with him
for having persisted in going to New Spain, though they had sostrongly advised him not to
do so, as the time was badly chosen, andhis arrival there would create disputes, and only
tend to interrupt theprogress of the conquest of New Spain. But Tapia had placed all his
reliance on the protection of the bishop of Burgos, wherefore they hadnot dared to detain
him by force in St. Domingo, particularly as his appointment had been made out by the
president of the council of theIndies, and as the emperor himself still continued in Flanders.
I will now return to Cortes' plan of forming settlements. Alvarado, as I have mentioned
above, was sent for this purpose to a provinceabounding in gold, called Tuztepec, which
must not be confoundedwith Tutepec, whither Sandoval was despatched for the same end.
Sandoval was also to make a settlement on the river Panuco, as Cortes had received
intelligence that a certain Francisco de Garay had fittedout an extensive armament for the
same object, in which Cortes wishedto anticipate him.
About this time our general again sent Rodrigo Rangel to Vera Cruzas commandant of that
place, and ordered Gonzalo de Alvarado toconduct Narvaez to Cojohuacan, where Cortes
still occupied the samepalace, until the one should be finished which was building for him
inMexico. Cortes' motive for ordering Narvaez to be brought to Mexicowas, because he
had been informed that, in a conversation he had had with Christobal de Tapia, he thus
addressed him: "Señor, you arecome here with the same lawful authority as I came before
you, but itwill avail you no more than it did me, who arrived, moreover, in thiscountry
with so large a body of troops. I advise you to be upon your guard, lest they put you to
death. You have no time to lose; for thewheel of fortune still turns in favour of Cortes and
his men. Striveto get as much gold out of them as you can, and with that journey tohis
majesty in Spain, and relate to him how matters stand here; andif you can rely upon the
bishop Fonseca's protection, so much thebetter for your cause. This is the best advice I can
give you."
[Pg 125]
Narvaez, on his journey to Mexico, was greatly surprised at the large towns he passed
through; but when he came to Tezcuco, then to Cojohuacan, and saw the lake, with the
numerous other large towns,and Mexico itself, he was perfectly astonished.
Cortes had given orders that he should be treated with the utmostrespect, and, immediately
on his arrival, was to be brought into hispresence. Narvaez, on coming up to our general,
fell down on one knee to kiss his hand. Cortes, however, would not consent to this, but,
raising him up, embraced him affectionately, and desired him to take a seat next to his
person; when Narvaez thus addressed him: "General! I am now convinced, from what I
have seen of this vastcountry and its numerous towns, that of all the deeds of arms which
you have accomplished in New Spain with your troops, the least victoryhas been that which
you gained over me and my troops; and had theseeven been much more numerous I am
sure we should have been defeated.You cannot be too highly honoured and rewarded for
havingsubjected so vast a territory, with so many large cities, to the sceptreof our emperor.
I am convinced that the most famous generals ofour time will agree with me, that what you
have accomplished surpasseseverything that the greatest and most renowned captains have
everdone before you, in the same degree as the city of Mexico surpassesevery other town
of the world in strength of position. Indeed, youand your brave soldiers have merited the
greatest rewards from hismajesty."
To these and other flattering speeches, Cortes answered, "What wehave done was certainly
not of ourselves alone, but through the greatmercy of the Almighty, who protected us, and
the good fortune whichalways attends the troops of our great emperor."
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