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regularly attefted. And now the poor foldier, who had worn himfelf 

 to nothing, with fatigue, and was full of wounds, when he had gotten 

 a good female Indian prifoner, and given her cloathing and ornaments, 

 found that fhe was taken from him! "When the order was given," 

 faid the foldier, " Every one thought that the flaves were only put in 

 " to be marked and valued, and that each \vould get his own back, pay- 

 '* ing the fifth of the value which Die was rated at to his Majefty, and 

 " that Cortes was to have no farther claim on them whatever." He 

 added a great deal more to the fime purpofe, but worfe than what I have 

 mentioned. When Cortes heard thefe exclamations againft him» he 

 made anfwer, fwearing by his confcience! his ufual oath, that it never 

 fhould happen fo again, and he protefted that in future better regulations 

 fhould be adopted. Thus with fmooth words, and fair promifes on his 

 part, the affair palled over. 



But I have now fomething to mention worfe than this ; it has 

 been already related how in the fatal night of the retreat from Mexico, 

 the treafurc was produced and all the foldiers given liberty to take as 

 much as they chofe of it j many of thofe of Narvaez loaded themfelves 

 with gold, fome alfo of ours did the fame ; to a great many this coft 

 their lives, and none who efcaped with life and what they had carried 

 off, but were feverely wounded. After all this however Cortes came to 

 know that in our garrifon here at La Frontera, a quantity of gold in 

 bars was in circulation, and that deep gaming was going on amongft 

 our foldiers ; wherein our companions had forgot the old proverb which 

 fays, that wealth and amours fhould be kept concealed." He ifTued 

 an order for all the gold to be brought in within a given time, under the 

 feverefl: penalty in cafe of difobedience, promifing, on a fair delivery, to 

 return the third part, but threatening in cafe of failure or evafion, that 

 the whole fhould be forfeited. Many of the foldiers refufed, and from 

 ibme Cortes took it by way of loan ; but indeed rather by main force 

 than free will. As many of the captains and alfo of thofe who had 

 offices under his Majefly were pofTeffed of gold, a compromife took 



place 



