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receive reinforcement, which he was going to requeft from Cortes at 

 Mexico. The two captains having fet out for that city, I will now 

 take my leave of them for the prefent^ 



Cortes, in fome months after the departure of Las Cafas, began 

 to grow apprehend ve of a difafter; not that he entertained the leaft doubt 

 of the valour or condudt of that officer, but he repented, under the cir- 

 cumflances of the cafe, that he had not taken the command himfelf. 

 He was alfo anxious to examine the ftate of that province, more efpe- 

 cially its mines, and for thefe reafons now determined to fet out upon 

 his journey thither. He appointed a good garrifon to take charge of 

 the city of Mexico during his abfence, and provided the different polls 

 with artillery, leaving as his deputies in the government, the treafurer 

 Alonzo de Eftrada, and the contador Albornoz. Cortes did not know 

 the fecret fervices the latter had been rendering him at court, or he pro- 

 bably would not have left him in power, although on the other hand 

 it is poffible, that he could not have avoided it. He appointed the li- 

 centiate Zuazo alguazil major of the city, and as alguazil major and 

 agent in his private concerns, Rodrigo de Paz. To thcfe he ftrongly 

 infifted on the ftrideft attention, both to the intereft of his Majefty, and 

 the converfion of the natives. This he alfo recommended to the worthy 

 fathers Motolinea and Olmedo, both holy men. 



In order to deprive the Mexicans of chiefs, in cafe they Hiould at- 

 tempt to rife, he took with him Guatimotzin the late king, the chief 

 of Tacuba, Velafquez an Indian and captain under Guatimotzin, and 

 feveral others. There came alfo with us Fra Juan de las Varillas, ano- 

 ther clergyman, two reverend fathers, Flemings, and good theologians, 

 to preach the faith, and the captains De Sandoval and Luis Marin, with 

 many other cavaliers. The fuite, or officers who attended the perfon 

 of Cortes were as follows ; a fteward and paymafter, a keeper of the plate, 

 a major domo, two ftewards of the houfehold, a butler, a confedioner, 

 a chamberlain, a phyiician, a furgeon, a iiumber of pages of his houfe- 

 hold, amongft whom was D. Francifco de Montejo afterwards captain 



Eee in 



