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them then addreffed mc as follows; " Senior del Caftillo it is now the 

 " third time that you have vifited this country to your coft and lofs ; 

 *' Cortes has deceived us ; he faid in Cuba that he had powers to 



eftablifh a colony, whereas they went no farther as at prefent appears 

 ** than to traffic, and now we are to return to Cuba and affign all our 



wealth over to Velafquez. Here are many of us determined to take 

 " poffeffion of this country under Cortes in his Majefty's name, and 

 ** until his royal pleafure is known : Cortes fhall be elected our general, 

 *' and we expedt you will give him your vote." To all this I mofl 

 heartily and immediately affented, and we went through the different 

 huts thus canvaffirig-'for Cortes. The affair was foon known to the 

 party of Velafque^ which was much more numerous than ours ; they 

 immediately went to Cortes, and haughtily defired him to defift from 

 thefe underhand proceedings ; they told him that it was his duty now 

 to return to Velafquez who had fent him, and that we were not by any 

 means provided for the eflablifhment of a colony. To this Cortes 

 mildly replied, that as in duty bound he would inftantly return.; but 

 we who were of the other party now exclaimed againft him for having 

 deceived us in afTerting that he had a commifTion to colonize, whereas 

 it appeared that it went no farther than barter; adding, that we de- 

 manded a fulfilment of his original engagement with us, as neceffary 

 for the fervice of God and his Majefly. That once we were fettled 

 more foldiers would join us, and that Velafquez had drawn us to our 

 ruin, by inducing us to come here in hopes of a fettlement, and difap- 

 pointing us ; and we concluded by faying, that thofe who chofe to re- 

 turn to Cuba were welcome to do fo. 



We then infifted on Cortes accepting the command of us who were 

 determined to try our fortunes in this new country, for the lervice of 

 God and his Majefly : he for fome time rcfufed, but at length acceded, 

 for as the proverb fays, " You aik me that,, to which I have already got 

 my own confent," and thus he was appointed our captain general, and 

 fupreme magiftrate. The worfl part of the bufinefs was, the power 

 which we gave him, to draw for himfelf, one fifth of all the gold after 



that 



