_How Pedro Arias de Avila is apprized by two of his confidants that
Francisco Hernandez was in close correspondence with Cortes, and
about to declare his independence of him; the steps which Arias took
upon this._
Among the troops under Francisco Hernandez there were two soldiers,
named Garavita and Zamorano, who were close adherents to Pedro Arias,
the governor of Terra Firma. When these men saw the presents which
Cortes had sent to Hernandez, and observed how the latter held secret
conferences with Garro and other of his officers, they suspected that
Hernandez designed giving Cortes possession of the province of
Nicaragua. They consequently hastened off to communicate their
suspicions to Arias. Garavita, in particular, evinced a considerable
degree of zeal in this matter, for he had an old spite against our
general; namely, when they were both young men, and living at St.
Domingo, they came to blows about some woman, and Garavita came off
worst, with a thorough good drubbing.
On receiving this information, Arias marched out in person, at the head
of a large body of troops, and soon arrived in Nicaragua, where he
instantly seized Hernandez. Pedro de Garro had been wise enough not to
await his arrival, and sought refuge in our camp. The former had had
sufficient time to have done the same, but, unfortunately for him, he
put his trust in the previous friendship which existed between himself
and Pedro Arias, and felt quite confident the latter would behave
leniently towards him. Arias, however, paid no respect to former
friendship, but immediately put him upon his trial, and as it was proved
that he intended to declare his independence of his commander-in-chief,
Arias sentenced him to decapitation, which was put into execution in the
town which he had himself founded shortly beforehand. This was all the
unfortunate Hernandez gained by the treaty of Pedro Garro with Cortes,
and the fine presents which the latter had sent him!