{ 25 ) 



CHAPTER III. 



Expedition of H.Cortes. A. D. 151 8. 



TThE Governor of Cuba was anxious to profecute the advantages of 

 which the expedition of Grijalva afforded him fo flattering a profpe6t. 

 For this purpofe he provided ten Ihips at the port of St. Jago, four of 

 which had been on the former voyage, and fupphed them with fuch 

 provifions as that place afforded, but their full complement of neceffaries 

 and appointments was to be taken in at the Havannah. Great differ- 

 ence of opinion exifted as to the appointment of a chief: Vafco Porcallo 

 a man of quality and related to the Count de Feria was propofed, but 

 Velafquez was afraid to truft his armament with one of his bold cha- 

 ra6ter, left he (hould revolt, and declare himfelf independent. Auguftin 

 Vermudez, Anthonio Velafquez Borrego, and Bernardino Velafquez, 

 all relations of the governor, were alfo fpoken of, but the foldiers were 

 in general inclined towards Grijalva. 



]u9c at this time Andres de Duero, fecretary to the governor, and 

 Amador de Lares, the Contador of his Majefty in Cuba, made a private 

 propofal to a refpedlable Hidalgo named Hernando Cortes, a native of 

 Medellin in Eftremadura, and fon of Martin Cortes de Monroy, and of 

 Catalina Pizarro Altamirano, both, though poor. Hidalgos, and of the 

 good lineages of that province. Hernando Cortes poffeffed a property 

 in the Ifland of Cuba, had been twice Alcalde there, and had lately 

 from motives of inclination married a lady named Donna Catalina Suarez 

 Pacheco, daughter of Diego Suarez Pacheco of Avila, and of Maria de 

 Mercaida a Bifcayan. This marriage brought much trouble upon 

 Cortes, and he was frequently in confinement by the interference of D. 

 Velafquez. Leaving this to be related more fully by others, I will now 

 however proceed in my narrative of what took place between Cortes and 



E the 



