WHEN Teutchlile again reached the Spanish camp, Cortes was in the midst
of difficulties with his own men. Notwithstanding his great popularity,
it seems there were some few in his army who were friends to Velasquez,
and these watched all his movements very closely. They had noticed that
in all his orders, and especially in taking possession of the island
Cozumel, the name of Velasquez was not even once mentioned, and they now
began to beat up friends among the men, declaring that Cortes was
selfishly ambitious, thinking only of himself, and seeking his own
glory. Dissatisfied themselves, they magnified every little trouble, to
make the men discontented also with their leader. The spot where the
camp was pitched was sandy, and swarmed with musquitoes, and this was
spoken of. The provisions were becoming scanty--the bread was
spoiled--the bacon was rotting--and they alarmed the men with the fear
of starvation. This scarcity of food Cortes had himself noticed, and had
proposed to seize on the strong town of Chiahuitzla, where they would
find supplies. This they complained of, saying that it was risking their
lives for nothing, that they were but a small band, already weakened by
disease and fatigue, and could hope for no success in such an
undertaking. The spirit of discontent was thus beginning to run high,
when the messenger arrived with positive orders from Montezuma that the
strangers should leave his country. Cortes received this message with
great calmness, and tried to frighten the messenger, but Teutchlile only
treated him with scorn, and left the camp very angry.
Now the murmurs among the discontented became louder. They looked upon
the message of Montezuma as a declaration of war against them, and
openly declared they were not able to meet it. Diego de Ordaz, their
principal leader, was chosen to go before Cortes in their name, to tell
him of the madness of remaining in the country, and that they were
determined to return to Cuba.
Cortes received this also with great coolness, and at once ordered his
troops to prepare for their return. But the truth is, that as these
difficulties had been increasing, he had prepared himself to overcome
them. He knew that he had certain strong friends around him. These were
Portocarrero, Sandoval, Alvarado, Escalante, Olid, Lugo, and Bernal
Diaz, and to these he had spoken plainly telling them of the danger that
threatened the expedition, and they had spoken to many of the men. These
now came forward and declared that they could never think of returning;
that they had spent all their means, and left every comfort to embark in
the enterprise, and that it was cruelty to them to turn back merely
because some of the men were too cowardly to go on. They called on their
commander to lead them on to victory, since they were ready to follow,
and to let all who were not bold enough for the adventure, return to the
Governor of Cuba. This was precisely what Cortes desired and expected.
In reply, he declared that he was ready and anxious to remain, and had
proposed a return homeward, only because he supposed it was the desire
of his followers; that now he was delighted to find he had mistaken
their wishes. Since they had shown the fearless feeling of true
Spaniards, he was ready to lead them on, and should try to prove himself
a proper commander for such brave adventurers. These words of Cortes had
a wonderful effect upon the army.
Still his plan was not yet completed. As the friends of Velasquez
thought that his authority was slighted, Cortes determined that he
would make himself in every way independent of that authority. For this
purpose, he now, with great solemnity, commenced a settlement in the
country, giving to the new colony the name of Villa Rica de la Vera
Cruz.[5] The men were all assembled next, to choose officers for the new
colony; and, as Cortes expected, the authority was given to
Portocarrero, Alvarado, and Olid, three of his principal friends. As
soon as these officers met in council, he came before them. He began by
telling them that they were intrusted with great powers for the good of
the settlement, and that he should be always ready to support them; and
that since they were the chosen officers of the people, he could not
think it right or proper that he should any longer keep the command
which was given to him by Velasquez. He had come, therefore, to deliver
up his commission to them, and was ready to take his place in the army
as a common soldier. With this he left them.
He had no sooner departed, than the three officers elected him to the
command of the army, as well as to the chief management of the colony.
Then, to secure the good feelings of the men, the whole army was at once
assembled, and they told them what they had done. All the former success
of Cortes was now set forth before them, together with his bravery and
generosity, and the bright prospects before all those who should follow
such a leader. The men were greatly excited. They vowed their attachment
to Cortes, and took an oath to stand by him at all hazards. Some few
still held back, but they were brought over by presents and promises.
Now the ringleaders, Diego de Ordaz, Velasquez de Leon, Escobar, and
Escudero, were more angry than ever, and spoke more loudly against
Cortes, in spite of all the numbers in his favor. To stop this, he
instantly caused these men to be seized and fastened with fetters. In a
few days they were set free, and Cortes offered to send them back to
Cuba; but they chose rather to remain with him now. Their discontent
seemed at an end, and all was again quiet and peaceable. Thus Cortes had
managed to be more firmly fixed than ever in the hearts of his
companions. His difficulties had only aided him.
As they still felt the want of food, Alvarado was now sent with a
hundred men to scour the neighboring country, and, if possible, obtain
supplies. In a little time, he returned with good news, but he and his
men had been startled by some things which they saw. They had passed
through certain villages, where there was abundance of food, and in one
had entered one of the temples of the natives. There, to their great
horror, they found the bleeding bodies of men and boys who had just been
sacrificed, for the knife lay reeking with blood beside them. It was
impossible for him to learn anything from most of the natives whom he
saw, for they fled at the sight of him. He had met only one party who
seemed friendly, and these were laden with provisions, and seemed to be
going towards the Spanish camp. In a short time, this party came in with
their supplies, and presented themselves before Cortes as messengers
from the Cacique of Chempoalla, with a warm invitation from the Cacique
that the strangers would visit him.
Cortes received them kindly, but doubted at first as to accepting this
invitation, fearing there was treachery in it. He asked the messengers
many questions, and at length discovered that their Cacique, though
subject to the Emperor of Mexico, was no friend to Montezuma. This was
enough to bring him to a conclusion, for he at once saw what advantage
he might make of it. He therefore dismissed them, thanking the Cacique
for his kindness, and promising that he would soon come and see him.
The spot where the settlement was begun was not a good one, and Cortes
only waited for the arrival of Francisco de Montejo, whom he had sent in
search of a better, to keep his promise with the Chempoallans. At the
end of twelve days he came back, reporting that he had found a place
called Quiabislan, with a fine harbor and a fertile soil. Cortes
determined at once to remove his settlement there, and as Chempoalla
lay in the way to this place, he was soon ready for his departure. When
the Spaniards reached Chempoalla, they were surprised and pleased to see
its large houses and wide streets lined with beautiful trees. The
meeting was very friendly between the Cacique and the Spanish chief. The
Cacique came forward with his principal men, all dressed in rich mantles
of fine cotton, adorned with gold, and Cortes at once embraced him. He
immediately began to complain of the cruelty and oppression of
Montezuma, and expressed great joy that the Spaniards had arrived.
Cortes at once saw that the poor man deserved and needed protection, and
therefore, weak as he was with his little band, he offered himself as
his protector. It was the desire of the Emperor Don Carlos whom he
served (he said), that he should protect the weak, and free all who were
oppressed; that he saw that his wrongs were many under the cruel tyrant
Montezuma, and in a little time he would see that they were ended. With
this promise he left the Chempoallans greatly delighted, and pushed on
to Quiabislan.
He found this place to be just what Montejo had described it, and
immediately marked out the ground for making the settlement. Then he led
the way in the work, carrying materials and digging the ground for the
foundation. His officers and men followed his example, the Indians
readily assisted, and in a little time, the settlement was quite a
comfortable place. While these things were going on, the Caciques of
Quiabislan and Chempoalla frequently visited him, and talked of nothing
but the tyranny and oppression of the Mexican Emperor. They had suffered
much themselves, but were particularly bitter against Montezuma, on
account of his late cruelties in the territories of the Totonacas, where
they declared multitudes of men had been sacrificed by him. While they
were thus one day talking with him, the news arrived that the
tax-gatherers of Montezuma had come to the province to receive the
annual tax. Next came a summons from these officers to the Caciques,
calling upon them instantly to deliver up twenty of their men and women,
to be offered as a sacrifice for their guilt in entertaining the
strangers, contrary to the positive commands of Montezuma. The poor
frightened Caciques were afraid to disobey the command, and thereby call
down upon themselves the wrath of the Emperor. And yet they trembled at
the thought of obedience. Cortes at once relieved them. He ordered his
own men instantly to seize the tax-gatherers, and then issued his
proclamation that no taxes should ever afterward be paid to Montezuma.
The cowardly Caciques were now made strong by his boldness. In their
rage against Montezuma, they declared that his collectors should be
sacrificed to the gods, and but for Cortes it would have been done. He
had to place a guard of his own soldiers around them to protect them.
The position of these Caciques was now dangerous enough. They knew the
power and dreaded the wrath of the great Emperor Montezuma. His
authority had been defied in their dominions, and they knew the
consequence. They were themselves startled at the boldness of the
Spaniards, for never before had they seen the power of their Emperor
resisted. Indeed, they looked upon the strangers as supernatural beings,
and gave them the name of _Teules_, a title which was bestowed upon
their idols. Yet they rejoiced while they trembled, and knowing that
there was no escape for them except through the Spaniards, they sought
their friendship more earnestly than ever. Cortes quieted their fears as
well as he could, by promising them his protection, and they in their
turn swore fidelity to the Spanish king, declaring that they were no
longer the subjects of Montezuma. The Totonacas, who smarted perhaps
most under his cruelty, were the fiercest now in their opposition; but
the three tribes, all with one accord, solemnly declared that they would
follow Cortes in his expedition.
His strength was now somewhat increased, but very soon by his management
he made friends of a fourth tribe. These were the people of
Cincapacinga. It seems that the Cacique of Chempoalla had a bitter
feeling towards these people, because (as he said) of certain outrages
committed by the garrison there, and he urged Cortes to march against
their town. The Spanish chief accordingly set out upon his march, but as
he came near he learned from the Cincapacingas another story. Eight of
the principal men came forward in great sorrow, entreating him not to
molest them, declaring that the Chempoallans hated them on account of
some old disputes about the boundaries of their territories. Cortes,
anxious to make as many friends as possible, ordered that the people
should be undisturbed, and that their town should not be plundered. Then
he brought the unfriendly Caciques together before him, and persuaded
them in his presence to come to terms of peace. Their quarrel was
settled, and he had new friends.
He was now fairly in the country, backed by the affection of his own men
who knew his value, and the friendship of four tribes that looked to him
for protection and loved him for his justice toward them.[6] All things
thus far had been managed with great prudence, and it is strange that
we find Cortes just at this time guilty of an act of great imprudence.
His early education, however, may in a measure excuse it. He had before
this rebuked Alvarado for stripping an idol at Cozumel, and now he was
himself guilty of a greater outrage of the same kind, towards the
natives. He had entreated the Chempoallans to leave off the bloody rites
of their religion. The priests were greatly shocked at his proposal, and
immediately roused the people to oppose it. Cortes now became
angry--instantly ordered fifty of his men to arms, and started to invade
the temple. The Cacique begged him to do no violence, but the Indian
warriors seeing his determination, seized their weapons for a struggle.
Cortes marched on and ascended the steps of the temple. Seeing the
warriors gathered to oppose him, he seized the Cacique with his
principal officers and the priests, and declared he would instantly kill
them if any resistance was made. The Indians now laid aside their arms
and looked on with tears and groans. Cortes entered their temple--their
idols were thrown from the altars and broken in pieces. He commanded
then that even the fragments should be burned. The priests now came
forward in their long black mantles, with their hair reaching to the
ground clotted with blood, and their ears torn and cut, gathered up the
pieces and burned them in the midst of the temple. The next command was
to wash and purify the place; and after this the holy cross was raised
upon the altar, and Father Olmedo invited the people to worship. The
poor Chempoallans submitted to this, for they were weak and needed his
protection.
The followers of Cortes had now been in the country nearly three months,
and began to grow impatient to march toward Mexico. He was himself as
eager as any, but had not yet arranged all things as he desired. The
thought of the opposition of Velasquez tormented him, and he was
determined if possible to have the approbation of Don Carlos, the King
of Spain. He gathered his principal friends together, and told them that
before starting, he thought it best to send special messengers to the
King; and that, to please Don Carlos, it would be well to send to him by
the same messengers a present of all the treasures thus far discovered.
These friends approved the plan, and proposed it to the men. Strange to
tell, almost every man willingly stripped himself of all he had gained
thus far to swell the present of Don Carlos. It was for the common good,
and that was sufficient. Portocarrero and Montejo were at once chosen as
the messengers. With positive instructions that they should by no means
touch in their voyage to Spain at the Island of Cuba, the messengers set
sail, bearing to Don Carlos the present and a letter from the officers
of Villa Rica, giving glorious accounts of Cortes, and the rich country
which he had discovered for the kingdom of Spain.
The messengers had scarcely left, when a plot was formed by some of the
soldiers and sailors to seize one of the vessels, sail to Cuba, and
inform Velasquez of what was going on, that he might stop them on their
way. The plot was so secretly managed, that it was discovered just in
time to prevent it. The conspirators had gone on board the vessel, when
one of their number, named Coria, who was about joining them, suddenly
repented of his treachery, came to Cortes, and informed him of the plan.
He immediately went on board the vessel, and not one of them dared deny
the crime. They were all seized and brought ashore. Escudero and
Centeno, the ringleaders, were instantly put to death; Umbria, the
pilot, had one of his feet cut off; and two of the sailors received two
hundred lashes. This was terrible punishment, but Cortes excused himself
by the plea of necessity. The rest of the gang he spared, saying that
they were unfortunately led off by the bad example of the ringleaders.
Cortes was now very unhappy. This plot convinced him that there were
still dissatisfied men in his camp; that all was not peace as he
supposed. He knew that where this was the case, troubles of the same
kind were likely to occur again; but in his anxiety a thought flashed
upon his mind, that he would prevent them for ever. A bold determination
was now in his heart. He again gathered his principal friends, and told
them that he was resolved to destroy the fleet; that thereby he would
gain all the sailors for soldiers; and that his men, having then no
chance of escape, must either conquer or die. As usual, they approved of
his daring resolution; the soldiers were talked to, and many were ready
to join heart and hand in a plan which added one hundred sailors to the
army. Escalante was soon busy in dismantling the ships, and the hulls
were sunk. The skiffs only were saved, for the purpose of fishing. Thus
they were locked up in the country. To conquer or die was truly all that
was now before them, and Cortes at once commenced his preparations for
invading Mexico.
Assembling all his men at Chempoalla, he made a stirring speech to his
army, telling them of the glory that was before them. The force now
consisted of five hundred infantry, fifteen horsemen, and six pieces of
cannon. To these he added two hundred Indians of a low grade, called
_Tamenes_, who were to act as beasts of burden, and four hundred
warriors, selected, by the request of the Cacique of Chempoalla, from
among his troops. Then taking from the Caciques a promise that they
would aid, as far as they could, his settlement at Villa Rica, left
under the command of Escalante, he was ready for the march.
At this moment, a messenger came in hot haste from Villa Rica, to tell
him that a vessel was cruising near the coast. This startled Cortes; in
an instant he supposed that this was some ship sent against him by
Velasquez. Leaving the command of the army to Alvarado and Sandoval, he
immediately set off, with a small party of horse, for Villa Rica. As he
came near, he marked the vessel at some distance from the shore, and
presently saw in his way four strange Spaniards coming towards him. It
seems that these men were a part of the crew of the strange vessel, and
had been sent to the shore by the captain, Alonso de Pineda, to take
possession of the country. The captain was aware that Cortes was in
possession, and had given them a document to present to him,--which
document stated that, by a royal commission, Francisco de Garay, the
Governor of Jamaica, was to have authority over all the coast he might
discover to the north of the river of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Three
ships had therefore been sent by Garay, bringing two hundred and seventy
soldiers, under the command of Pineda, who was just now in the river of
Panuco. They presented the document, at the same time commanding Cortes
not to come upon the new territory of Garay. Receiving it, he begged
that he might see their captain, and make a fair arrangement with him,
declaring that they were both subjects to Don Carlos, and seeking the
glory of their common kingdom. This they refused; and Cortes, without
hesitation, ordered them to be seized. He then hid himself with his men
all night behind a sand-hill near the coast, hoping that more soldiers
would be sent from the ships to look for their comrades, and that he
might seize them and persuade them to join him. Finding himself
disappointed in this, he now employed a stratagem to bring them ashore.
Four of his men were dressed in the prisoners’ clothes, and sent to the
coast to make signals. In a little time, a boat was seen making to the
shore. From some cause or other (suspicion of the plot, perhaps), only
three men landed--the rest pushing off, and hurrying back to the ship.
These three, however, were instantly secured. Having now no hope of
gaining more men, and little to fear, as he thought, from Francisco de
Garay, with his seven new soldiers he pushed back to his army.
On the 16th of August, the army commenced the march towards Mexico. For
a little time they fared very well, passing through Xalapan, Socochima,
and Texotla, where the people were independent of Montezuma, and
consequently received them very kindly. After this they came upon a wild
and mountainous region, filled with frightful precipices, where no
human being lived. The weather was extremely cold, provisions began to
run low, and withal they were pelted by heavy hail-storms. They felt now
that their hardships had commenced; but, trained to difficulties, and
thirsting for glory, they moved on without a murmur. At length they
arrived at Xocotlan, on the confines of Mexico, and were greatly cheered
by the change. The chief city lay in a beautiful valley at the foot of
the mountains; the lofty temples, and houses plastered and whitewashed,
rose pleasantly before them, and for a moment they thought of their
homes in the Old World. Cortes at once sent a message to the Cacique,
informing him of his arrival; and he presently showed himself, with a
large number of followers. The Spanish chief was greeted kindly, to all
appearance, but, as he thought, not sincerely; and he was confirmed in
this thought when he found that his troops were but poorly provided for.
He considered it best, however, to make no complaints. For five days he
remained at this place, learning all that he could of Montezuma and his
kingdom. He questioned the Cacique very closely, and was told in reply
that Montezuma was the most powerful and wealthy monarch in the world;
and while he richly rewarded all his friends, his enemies were always
looked upon as wretched beings, and sacrificed to the gods. The city of
Mexico, where he dwelt, was a strong fortress, where no enemy could
take him. It was built in a lake, and could only be reached by three
causeways, each of which had several chasms, which could only be passed
by means of wooden bridges. The Spaniards heard all this with perfect
calmness, and the Xocotlans began to look upon them also as _Teules_, or
deities. The thought that men could live without fearing the great
Montezuma, was to them incredible. Then the skill of the soldiers,
together with the appearance of the cannons and horses, startled the
Cacique the more, and he now showed a disposition to be very friendly.
When Cortes was leaving, he seemed greatly interested in him, and urged
him, on his journey to Mexico, to take the route through the province of
Cholula. There were multitudes of people (he said) in that province, for
the most part peaceable men, living by cultivating the soil: there the
Spaniards would meet with a kind reception, and find abundance. The
Chempoallans, however, were of a different opinion. They now came
forward, stating that the Cholulans were a treacherous race; that no man
could put any confidence in them; and besides this, that their chief
city was guarded by a garrison of Mexican soldiers. They begged that he
would make his journey through the province of Tlascala, where the
people were fierce and warlike, hated Montezuma, and would gladly
receive him; moreover, that these Tlascalans were strong friends to them
and the Totonacas. Cortes, thinking the advice of old friends, of whom
he had had some trial, better than that of new ones, determined to go by
the way of Tlascala.