( ao6 ) 



ned man. He therefore pacified him with prefents, for he always ap- 

 prehended feme ad: of violence on his part, and for the future took care 

 to employ him on bufmefs of importance at a diftance, as in the Ifland 

 of St. Domingo, and afterwards in Old Spain. 



Narvaez brought with him a Negro who was in the fmall poxj 

 an unfortunate importation for that country, for the difeafe fpread with 

 inconceivable rapidity, and the Indians died by thoufands; fortiot know- 

 ing the nature of it, they brought it to a fatal iffue by throwing them- 

 felves into cold water in the heat of the diforder. Thus black was the 

 arrival of Narvaez, and blacker ftill the death of fuch multitudes of un- 

 fortunate fouls, which were fent into the other world, without having 

 an opportunity of being admitted into the bofom of our holy church. 

 At this time a claim was made on Cortes by fuch of our foldiers as had 

 been in diflant garrifons, for their fhare of the gold taken in Mexico. 

 He, as well as I recoiled: , referred them to a place in Tlafcala, defiring 

 that two perfons might be fent thither to receive it. I will at a future 

 period relate what happened hereupon ; but I muft at the prefent revert 

 to other things. 



The wheel of fortune making fudden turns, evil follows clofely 

 upon good, as was our cafe at prefent, our late fuccefles being contraft- 

 ed by melancholy news from Mexico. We now received intelligence 

 by exprefs from that city, whereby we were informed, that an infurrec- 

 tion had broken out, and that Alvarado was befieged in his quarters, 

 which they had fet on fire, having killed feven of his men, and wound- 

 ed many; for which rcafon he earneftly called called for fuccour and 

 fupport. When we received this news, God knows how it afRid:ed us ! 

 We fet out by long marches for Mexico, leaving Narvaiez and Salvati- 

 trra prifoners in Villa Rica, under the cuftody of Rodorigo Rangel, who 

 alfo had diredions to colled: all the flragglers, and to take care of the in- 

 valids, of whom there were many. At the moment we were ready to 

 march, arrived four principal noblemen from the court of Montezuma, 

 to lodge a fcfrmal complaint againft Alvarado, for having aflaulted them 



when 



