(, ^48 ) 



Nunez, and by old Ramirez the carpenter, who was lame with a wound. 

 Cortes obtained from the port of Villa Rica the iron work, fails, and 

 other neceflaries to equip the veffels j and he alfo ordered to be fent to 

 him what fmiths were there, amongft others, Aguilar, of which name 

 there were three amongft us, but this was the man we called "the iron- 

 mauler." As pitch was wanting, and was unknown to the natives of 

 thofe countries", he fent four failors to the pine woods of Guaxacingo, 

 which are very coniiderable, to obtain a fupply of that article. Some 

 curious perfons have afked me, why Cortes fent Alonzo de Avila who 

 was fo valiant a captain on an affair of negociation, when he had men 

 of bufinefs fuch as Alonzo de Grado, and Juan de Caceres the rich, and 

 others whom they have named to me. To this I reply, that Cortes 

 fent Avila becaufe he was a brave man, and would not be afraid to fpeak 

 out on any neceflary occalion in order to obtain juftice; and therefore, 

 to avoid being oppofed and thwarted by him, and to give his 

 company to Andres de Tapia, and his office of contador to Alonzo dc 

 Grado, Cortes chofe to fend him upon bufinefs to St. Domingo. 



Now that the timber of the veffels was all ready for the dock yard, 

 and that thofe who came with Narvaez no longer molefted us with their 

 fears and furmifes, there was great difference of opinion amongft us on 

 the fubjed: of eftablifhing our poft, in order to prepare for the inveft- 

 ment of Mexico. Some ftrongly recommended Ayotcingo as moft con- 

 venient on account of the canals, others, amongft whom was Cortes, 

 as ftrongly infifted on the elegibility of Tezcuco as moft advantageous 

 for making incurfions upon the Mexican territory. The decifion being 

 at length for Tezcuco, juft as we were ready to march we were inter- 

 rupted in our movements for an inftant, by intelligence that a veftel had 

 arrived at Villa Rica from Europe and the Canary Iflands, loaded with 

 military ftores, raerchandife, and horfes. It was commanded by one 

 Francifco Medel, but the owner of the property, who came with it, 

 was one Juan de Burgos. There were alfo on board thirteen foldiers. 

 We were in high fpirits on receiving this intelligence, and Cortes hav- 

 ing fent orders to purehafe the whole cargo, we loft not a moment in 



fetting 



