HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



391 



pe&ed blow in the prefence of the king Montezuma, 

 but, without ftiewing the fmalleft marks of emotion in 

 his countenance, he gave the king to underftand, that 

 thofe who had arrived at the port of Chalchiuhcuecan 

 were new companions fent him from Cuba. He made 

 ufe of the fame diflimulation to his own Spaniards, until 

 their minds were prepared for the truth. 



It is beyond a doubt, that this was one of thofe lingu- 

 lar occafions on which Cortes difplayed his unfhaken for- 

 titude and magnanimity. He found himfelf on the one 

 hand threatened by all the power of the Mexicans if he 

 remained at the court \ and on the other, he faw an army 

 levied againfl himfelf, compofed of his own countrymen, 

 far fuperior to his own force ; but his fagacity, his unre- 

 mitting activity and induftry, and wonderful courage, 

 diverted all the evils which hung over him. He endea- 

 voured, by means of letters, and fome mediators in 

 whom he chiefly trufted, to gain the mind of Narvaez, 

 and to bring him to reflection ; propofing various mea- 

 fures to him, and reprefenting to him the advantages 

 which the Spaniards would derive from the union of 

 their armies and the co-operation of their forces ; and 

 on the contrary, the difafters which might be occafion- 

 ed by difcord to them both : Narvaez, by the advice of 

 three deferters from Cortes, had already difembarked 

 with all his fleet upon the coaft of Chempoalla, and put 

 himfelf in quarters in that city ; the lord of which, know- 

 ing them to be Spaniards, and believing that they came 

 to unite with Cortes his friend, or fearful of their pow- 

 er, received them with the greatefl honour, and provid- 

 ed them every thing they wanted. Montezuma alfo 

 believing the fame thing in the beginning, fent rich pre- 

 fents to Narvaez, and gave orders to his governors to 



offer 



