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to each of the three natives he prefented a (Kirt. The people were fo 

 fatisfied with this treatment, that on the enfuing day the chief of the 

 place and all the inhabitants returned, and mixed with us in fo eafy and 

 amicable a manner, that it would have been fuppofed we had paffed our 

 whole lives together. 



Cortes now began to take the command upon him in earneft, and 

 our Lord was pleafed to give him grace, that whatever he undertook 

 he fucceedcd in. 



In the three days which we paffed here, Cortes ordered a review of 

 his troops, which amoimted to five hundred and eight, the mariners 

 not included. The number of thefe was one hundred and nine. We 

 had fixteen cavalry, eleven fhips large and fmall, including a brigantinc 

 belonging to one Gines Nortes, thirteen mufketeers, ten brafs field 

 pieces, four falconets, and (as well as I recoiled:) thirty-two crofs-bows 

 with plenty of ammunition. He alfo ordered the artillery-men to put 

 their guns in order, and appointed one Francifco de Orozca, who had 

 been a good foldier in Italy, his captain of artillery. But I know not 

 why I now wafte fo much ink in relating this, for truly he ufed the 

 greateft vigilance and exadinefs in all things relating to the fervice he 

 was upon. 



Cortes now fent for me and a Bifcayan named Martin Ramos, in 

 order to queftion us as to our opinions of the meaning of the word 

 ** Caftillan," fo frequently repeated by the Indians of Cotoche, when 

 we came with Captain Hernandez de Cordova ; adding that he was 

 convinced that it muft allude to fome Spaniards in that country : for 

 which reafon, he queftioned the native chiefs upon the fubjed:. They 

 all anfwered in the affirmative, and certain indian merchants then in 

 Cozumel affured us that they had fpokcn to them a few days before. 

 Cortes was anxious to obtain their releafe, and being informed that 

 compenfation would be expe<5led, he amply provided his meflengers for 

 the purpofe. By thefe perfons he fent letters to them, and he ordered 



for 



