( 484 ) 



he was robuft in body, his legs rather bowed, arid his countenance 

 mafculine; his hair and beard were curled, and of a light brown; his 

 voice was rough, and fomewhat terrible, and he ftammered a little ; he 

 was a plain man, and one who did not know much of letters, not 

 avaritious of gold, but attentive to his bufinefs like a good officer, fee- 

 ing that his foldiers did their duty well, and taking good care of them. 

 He was not fond of rich dreffes, but went plain and like a foldier. He 

 had the beft horfe that ever was feen; he was a cheftnut, with a ftar 

 in his forehead, and his near foot white; his name was Motilla; he 

 became a proverb, fo that when any horfe was extraordinarily good, we 

 ufed to fay he was as good as Motilla. Sandoval was an officer fit for 

 any ftation; he was a native of Medellin, and an hidalgo; his father 

 was an alcalde of a caftle, 



Don C. de Oli was a Hed:or in battle, but his judgment was . 

 not equal to his valour, and he required to be kept under command. 

 The captains De Alvarado, De Sandoval, and De Oli,. were in 

 high eftimation with his Majefty, who was pleafed to fay that he had 

 three in New Spain who might be compared with the grcateft the world 

 had: produced. Cortes alfo ufed to talk highly of his officers and fol- 

 diers, but what Bernal Diaz del Caftillo thinks upon the lubjed: is this,- 

 that if what Cortes afterwards faid in their favour, he had written at 

 firft to his Majefly, he would have done right; but at that time he 

 made no mention of our valiant adlions, nor even aur names; but only 

 laid, "this I did; this I ordered to be done;" whereas I think theleaft 

 be fhould have done was to make mention of us, I will now return to 

 ^y enjurn^ration of our officers and foldier?. 



}. V. de Leon, native of Old Caftille, was about twenty ieven 

 years of age, well proportioned, and robuft; his beard was red and 

 curled, his voice rough and fierce, and be ftammered a little; he was 

 a cavalier of good manners, and generous, fharing what he had with 

 bis companions J he killed, a perfon of confequence in the IfLand of Hif- 



paniola. 



