20 QUARREL OF VELASQUEZ FIRMNESS OF CORTEZ. 



to whose honor and the service of God, it was hoped the enterprise 

 would certainly redound. 



Such was the state of things in the port of St. Jago, when 

 jealous fears began to interrupt the confidence between Velasquez 

 and Cortez. The counsel of friends who were companions of the 

 Governor, and his own notice of that personage's altered conduct, 

 soon put the new Captain General of the Armada on his guard. 

 Neither his equipment nor his crew was yet complete ; nevertheless, 

 he supplied his fleet with all the provisions he could hastily obtain 

 at midnight; and, paying the provider with a massive chain which 

 he had worn about his neck, — the last available remnant, 

 perhaps, of his fortune, — he hastened with his officers on board 

 the vessels. 



On the 18th of November, 1518, he made sail for the port of 

 Macaca, about fifteen leagues distant, and thence he proceeded to 

 Trinidad, on the southern coast of Cuba. Here he obtained stores 

 from the royal farms, whilst he recruited his forces from all classes, 

 but especially from the returned troops and sailors of Grijalva's 

 expedition. Pedro de Alvarado and his brothers ; Cristoval de Olid, 

 Alonzo de Avila, Juan Velasquez de Leon, Hernandez de Puerto 

 Carrero, and Gonzalo de Sandoval, united their fortunes to his, 

 and thus identified themselves forever with the conquest of Mexico. 

 He added considerably to his stock by the seizure of several 

 vessels and cargoes ; and prudently got rid of Diego de Ordaz, 

 whom he regarded as a spy of the estranged Velasquez. 



At Trinidad, Cortez was overtaken by orders for detention from 

 his former friend and patron. These commands, however, were 

 not enforced by the cautious official who received them ; and 

 Cortez, forthwith, despatched Alvarado, by land, to Havana, 

 whilst he prepared to follow with his fleet around the coast 

 and western part of the island. At Havana he again added 

 to his forces, — prepared arms and quilted armor as a defence 

 against the Indian arrows, — and distributed his men into eleven 

 companies under the command of experienced officers. But, 

 before all his arrangements were completed, the commander of the 

 place, Don Pedro Barba, was ordered, by express from Velasquez, 

 to arrest Cortez, whilst the Captain General of the Armada himself 

 received a hypocritical letter from the same personage, " requesting 

 him to delay his voyage till the governor could communicate with 

 him in person ! " Barba, however, knew that the attempt to seize 

 the leader of such an enterprise and of such a band, would be 



