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…
Cortes having waited a length of time in vain at Santisteban delPuerto for this vessel, wrote
to his major-domo at Mexico to know thereason why the things he sent for had not arrived.
When his major-domoreceived this letter he soon guessed that some accident must have
happened to the vessel, and instantly sent out another in search of her.It pleased God in his
great mercy that the vessel should approach thesmall island where the three Spaniards had
been cast on shore, whohad had the good sense to keep a large fire burning night and day.
The reader can easily picture to himself the great joy of these menwhen this vessel arrived
off the island: they immediately embarked inher, and sailed for Vera Cruz. One of these
men, whose name wasCeliano, subsequently lived in Mexico.
Cortes was on his way to Mexico when he received information thatseveral tribes which
inhabited the wildest part of the mountains hadrisen up in arms, and were committing every
kind of depredation againstthose of their neighbours who had entered into an alliance with
us. He therefore determined to put an end to these hostilities before he returned to the
metropolis; but these ferocious tribes being apprizedof his approach, lay wait for him in a
dangerous mountain pass, attacked his baggage, killed many of the Indian porters, and
plundered them of all they carried. Our cavalry, which now came up to the assistance of
those who had charge of the baggage, lost two horses from the rugged state of the road.
These Indians, however, had topay dearly for all this when our troops reached their towns,
for theMexican warriors showed very little mercy, and killed and took numbersof them
prisoners. The cazique and his chief officer were hung, andthe baggage of which they had
plundered our troops was retaken.
[Pg 131]
After the execution of these men, Cortes commanded the Mexicansto stay hostilities, and
he summoned the chiefs and papas of the province to send him ambassadors, who now
arrived without delay, andacknowledged themselves subjects of our emperor. Cortes then
appointedthe brother of him who had been executed, cazique of theplace; and, after thus
restoring peace to the province, he continuedhis march to Mexico.
I must here observe that there is not a more wicked, a more uncivilized,or a more filthy
people in the whole of New Spain than theinhabitants of the province of Panuco; and in no
part were humansacrifices found to be so frequent or so barbarous. The inhabitantswere
excessive drunkards, and guilty of every kind of abomination:however, they met with due
punishment; for, after our troops hadvisited their country a few times with fire and sword,
they received, in the person of Nuño de Guzman, who became governor there, a much
severer scourge. He sold almost the whole of them for slaves to thedifferent islands, as we
shall see in the proper place.
CHAPTER CLIX.
How Cortes and the officers of the crown forward to Spain the wardrobeof
Motecusuma, and the emperor's share of the booty; and what further
happened.
After this campaign in the province of Panuco, Cortes was busily occupied with the
rebuilding of the city of Mexico.
Alonso de Avila, who had been despatched to the island of St.Domingo to communicate
there in Cortes' name with the royal court of audience and the Hieronymite brotherhood,
had by this time returnedto Mexico, and had obtained for Cortes the necessary powers from
theabove courts to subdue the whole of New Spain, turn the inhabitantsinto slaves, mark
them with a red-hot iron, and distribute the Indiansinto commendaries in the same manner
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