( 7S ) 



were brought before Cortes and afked by him how they could behave fo 

 ill, they infolently replied, that they wondered at his idea of colonizing 

 amongft fuch numbers of the natives ; that for their parts they were 

 tired of being dragged about, and would go to their plantations in Cuba. 

 Cortes replied that he would not oppofe their going, though he difap- 

 provedof their condud ; accordingly they embarked, and brought their 

 provifions of bread, oil, and vegetables, on board, and one of them 

 named Moron fold a good horfe to one Juan Ruano, who was to pay 

 for it by an aflignment of certain articles of his property in Cuba. 



Juft as the vefTel was ready to fail, the foldiers, headed by the al- 

 caldes, and other civil officers of the fettlement, waited on Cortes with a 

 requeft that he would permit no perfons whatever to quit their colours, 

 a crime for which thofe who committed it deferved to fuffer deaths 

 Cortes for fome time appeared to be unwilling to withdraw the per- 

 miffion, but at length fuffered himfelf to be perfuaded, and the feven 

 malcontents were obliged to come back to us and fuftain the ridicule 

 their condud: brought on them ; Moron alfo loft his horfe, which the 

 other kept, referring him for the payment, to his affignment on his pro- 

 perty in the Ifland of Cuba. 



Our internal troubles being appeafed for the prefent, Cortes fet out 

 upon his expedition with four hundred foldiers, being joined at Cem- 

 poal by a thoufand of our allies divided into four companies. The firft 

 days march was five leagues, and on the enfuing day we reached the 

 outfkirts of the town of Cingapacinga, which was built among fteep 

 and difficult rocks. When the inhabitants heard of our approach, a 

 deputation of eight of their chieftains was fent to Cortes, and being 

 brought into his prefence, thefe perfons with tears in their eyes alked 

 him why he came to deftroy them, who had given no occafion for fuch 

 an aggreffion, adding that this furprifed them the more from the 

 celebrity of our juftice, which had reached them; and' as to our allies 

 of Cempoal, their malevolence againft them was founded upon an old 

 difpute about boundaries, and now they took advantage of our fupport 



La to 



