{ So ) 



ceived her by tlie hand afFedionately. Puertocarrero was more fortu- 

 nate; his lady was for an Indian very handfome; flie was the daughter 

 of a great cacique named Cuefco, and was called Donna Francifca. 

 The alliance confolidated the friendfhip between us and thi'S people, of 

 whom we now took our leave, and returned to Villa Rica. " 



On our arrival we found a veffel from Cuba in the harbour, com- 

 manded by one Francifco Saucedo, called el Pulido on account of his 

 affectation of finery and manners. Luis Marin a very able officer, and 

 ten foldiers with two horfes were on board. We learned by thefe 

 people that Velafquez had received from Old Spain his authority to 

 barter and colonize. This, with his appointment to the commiflion of 

 adelantado of Cuba, put his friends in our army in very great fpirits. 



The works of our town were nearly finifhed, and many of us now 

 grew anxious to pay a vifit to the great Montezuma, and exprefled to 

 Cortes our wifh to try our fortune. Confultations being held hereon, 

 it was determined in the firft place to fend a deputation to his Majefty, 

 with an account of what we had done, and alfo with the gold and other 

 articles of value which had been obtained. This determination was 

 agreed to by Cortes, and was immediately carried into eftedt, and Diego 

 de Ordas, and Francifco de Montejo, two men of bufinefs, going 

 through the whole of the officers and foldiers, and reprefenting to 

 them, that, although to fuch as claimed tl^eir (hare it fhould not be 

 denied, yet it was for the general intereft that t^e whole of the treafure 

 fhould be fent to his Majefty, all our companions gave their con- 

 fent, and renounced their cl^im to a partition. Alonzo Hernandez 

 Puertocarrero, and Francifco de Montejo were named as our agents, 

 the laft mentioned of whom Cortes had already fecured in his own in- 

 tereft by a gift of two thoufand crowns. By thefe gentlemen Cortes 

 wrote his private Jetters, the contents of which we never knew. The 

 council alfo wrote -conjointly with thofe of the foldiers who were moft 

 folicitous for the eftablifhment of the colony , and the eled:ion of Cortes 

 as ,captain general. In this letter nothing was omitted that could fervc 



our 



