( 82 ) 



return of his gracious anfwer proftrate on the ground ; and that if the 

 Bifliop of Burgos fent any perfon over us, we fhould fufpend our obe- 

 dience, until his Majefly's pleafure was known, and that in the mean 

 time, we remained under the command of his Majefly's faithful fervant 

 Cortes, whofe merits we exalted to the {kies. 



This being all drawn up in due form, our general defired to be 

 permitted to read it, and on the perufal he exprelTed his higheft fatis- 

 fadtion thereat. The only two articles he excepted to were, the men- 

 tion of his fliare of the treafure, and of the names of the preceding dif- 

 coverers j for it feems that he had in his private letter afcribed all the 

 honor and merit to himfelf. Thefe parts he defired to fupprefs, but 

 there were not wanting thofe who told him, that his Majefty was to 

 know, not only the truth, but the whole truth. This bufinefs com- 

 pleted, the letters were intrufted to our agents, with ftridl injund:ions 

 by no means to touch at the Havannah, nor at the port of El Marien, 

 as we wiflied to keep the affair from the knowledge of Velafcjuez. 



After mafs on the twenty-fixth of July 1 5 1 9 our agents failed, 

 and arrived fafely at the Havannah, in dired: oppofition to our inftruc- 

 tions, for, Puertocarrero being fick, Montejo compelled the pilot Ala- 

 minos into his views, on the pretence of getting provifions from his 

 cftate at El Marien. As foon as the fhip caft anchor, Montejo fent a 

 failor on fliore with letters and advices to the Governor Velafquez, and 

 this man as he went through the Ifland proclaimed the news of all that 

 had happened in the army under Cortes. 



Velafquez on receiving the intelligence communicated by Montejo^ 

 as is faid, heartily curfed Cortes, his fecretary, and the contador, by 

 whofe advice he had chofen him. He immediately fent two veffels 

 armed in fcarch of our fhip, of which the unwelcome intelligence was 

 foon received, that fhe was by that time confiderably advanced towards 

 Europe; and with this news his veffels returned to St. Jago, making 

 Velafquez more difconfolate than ever. He lodged a complaint before 



the 



