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mtended to prefent him. Sandoval applied to me at this time for my 

 horfe, an excellent animal for career, exercife, or road. He coft mc 

 fix hundred crowns to one Avalos brother to Saavedra, my former one, 

 which had coft me a greater fum, being killed in an a6lion at a place 

 called Zulaco. However Sandoval exchanged with me one of his, 

 which was killed under me in lefs than two months ; after which I re- 

 mained with nothing better than a vicious colt, which I bought a bad 

 bargain of from amongft thofe brought to Truxillo in the two veffels, 

 as I have before related. Sandoval at parting from us defired us to wait 

 his return at a large Indian town named Acalteca. When he reached 

 Truxillo, his friend Cortes was rejoiced to fee him, but neither Our 

 letter, nor the preffing inftances of Sandoval, nor of the reverend father 

 Varillas, could induce him to furmount his averfion to proceed to 

 Mexico. 



When Sandoval found it impoffible to induce Cortes to go to Mex- 

 ico, he prevailed upon him to fend a confidential fervant named Martin 

 de Orantes, with a commiflion to Pedro de Alvarado, and Francifco de las 

 Cafas, to take upon them the government during his abfence, in cafe 

 thofe officers were in Mexico, and (hould they not be found there, the 

 fame power was to be exercifed by the treafurer Alonzo de Eftrada, and 

 the contador Albornoz, conformably to the deputation given by Cortes 

 to them, previous to his departure from Mexico, thofe delegated to the 

 fad:or and veedor being revoked. Cortes having agreed to this, and 

 given his orders and inftrudlions, diredted Orantes to land in a bay be- 

 tween Vera Cruz and Panuco, and to fuffer no one to go on fhore but 

 himfelfj and the velTel was irximediately to hoift fail, and proceed for 

 Panuco. Thefe laft inftrudtions were given, that the arrival of 

 his officer (hould be kept as private as poffible uhtil the proper tinic. 

 He alfo fent letters by him to all his friends in New Spain, and to the 

 treafurer and contador, although he knew them in reality not to belong 

 to the number. 



The wind and weather being favourable, in a few days the veffiel 



arrived 



