HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



269 



as far as the river of Panama, from whence they re- 

 turned to Cuba with ten thoufand fequins in gold, part 

 acquired in exchange for toys, part obtained in a prefent 

 made to the commander by a lord of Onohualco. 



The governor of Cuba was much difpleafed that 

 Grijalva did not plant a colony in that new country, 

 which was reprefented by all to be the mod: rich and 

 happy in the world. Upon this he immediately fitted 

 out another larger armament, for the command of which 

 feveral of the principal colonifts of that ifland contended ; 

 but the governor, by the advice of his confidants, com- 

 mitted it to Ferdinand Cortes, a perfon of noble birth, 

 and fufficiently rich to be able to fupport, with his own 

 private capital, and the alMance of his friends, a con- 

 fiderable fliare of the expenfes of the expedition. He 

 was born in Medellin, a fmall city of Eftremadura, in the 

 year 1485. By the father he was Cortes and Monroi, 

 and by his mother Pizarro and Altamirano^ uniting in 

 himfelf the blood of thofe four lineages, which were the 

 mod renowned and ancient of that city. At the age of 

 fourteen, he was fent by his parents to Salamanca, in 

 order that by learning the Latin tongue, and the civil 

 law, at that famous univerfity, he might become the fup- 

 port of his family which was reduced to poverty ; but it 

 was not long before his military genius diverted him 

 from ftudy, and led him to the New World, after the 

 example of many illuftrious youths of his nation. He 

 accompanied Diego Velafquez, in the conqueft of the 

 ifland of Cuba, where he gained much wealth and ac- 

 quired confiderable authority. He was a man of great 

 talents, difcernment, and courage, dextrous in the ufe of 

 arms., fruitful in expedients and refources to carry his pro- 

 jects into execution, and highly ingenious in making him- 

 felf 



