_Diego Velasquez sends out a small vessel in quest of us._
From the very moment in which Juan de Grijalva had quitted Cuba for the
wide ocean, Diego Velasquez became downcast and thoughtful; he was
constantly harassed by the idea that some misfortune would befall us. In
the height of his impatience he at last sent out a small vessel, with
seven men, in quest of us. The command of this was given to a certain
Christobal de Oli, a man of great courage and energy. His instructions
were to follow the same course in which Cordoba had sailed, until he
should have met with us. It appears, however, that Christobal de Oli,
while riding at anchor near the coast, was overtaken by a violent
storm, and found himself compelled, in order to save his vessel from
being cast ashore, to cut the cables; at least he had no anchor left on
his return to Santiago de Cuba, nor had he been able to bring the
governor any information respecting us.
Diego Velasquez now despaired more than ever. The arrival of Pedro de
Alvarado with the gold and other things, fortunately set his anxiety at
rest, who, moreover, detailed to him the discoveries we had made. His
joy was excessive when he saw the gold, and how it was worked into
various shapes; from which very circumstance it appeared to him and
others who happened to be present on business, of much greater value
than it really was; nor were his majesty's officials, who had to take
the fifth part, less astonished at the riches of the countries we had
discovered. Pedro de Alvarado, who knew how to humour Diego Velasquez,
afterwards related that the governor had continually embraced him,--that
festivities and tournaments were celebrated for eight successive days.
If the fame of the riches of these countries had been rumoured abroad
before, it was now, on account of the gold we had sent, the more so; it
soon spread through all the islands, and the whole of Spain.
I shall have occasion to speak of this hereafter, and will also leave
Diego Velasquez to his festivities, and return to our vessels at San
Juan de Ulua.