_How Dona Marina herself was a caziquess, and the daughter of
distinguished personages; also a ruler over a people and several
towns, and how she came to Tabasco._
Previous to going into any details here respecting the powerful
Motecusuma, his immense kingdom of Mexico, and its inhabitants, I must
relate what I know of Dona Marina. She was born a ruler over a people
and country,--for her parents had the dominion of a township called
Painala, to which several other townships were subject, lying about
twenty-four miles from the town of Guacasualco. Her father died when she
was very young, and her mother married another young cazique. By him she
had a son, of whom it appears they were both very fond, and to whom,
after their death, they designed to leave their territories. In order,
however, that the daughter of the first marriage might not stand in his
way, she was conveyed secretly during night-time to an Indian family in
Xicalango, they spreading the rumour she had died, which gained further
belief from the circumstance that a daughter of one of her female slaves
happened to die at the time. The Indians of Xicalango did not keep the
young girl themselves, but gave her to the inhabitants of Tabasco, by
whom she was presented to Cortes. I knew her mother and half-brother
myself, the latter having already reached manhood, and governed the
township jointly with his mother. When they were subsequently both
converted to Christianity, the latter was named Martha and her son
Lazaro. I was well acquainted with the whole of this circumstance; for
in the year 1523, when Mexico and several other provinces had been
subdued, and Christobal de Oli had rebelled in the Higueras, Cortes came
to Guacasualco, and on that occasion visited Marina's birth-place. Most
of the inhabitants of Guacasualco accompanied Cortes on this expedition;
I myself was also among the number. As Dona Marina, in all the wars of
New Spain, Tlascalla, and at the siege of Mexico, had rendered the
greatest services in capacity of an interpretress, Cortes carried her
everywhere with him. During this journey it also was that he married her
to a cavalier of the township of Orizava, named Juan Xaramillo. Among
others, there was present as a witness a certain Aranda of Tabasco,
through whom this circumstance became immediately known. These are the
true particulars of the whole case, not, however, as related by Gomara.
For the rest, Marina had the most extensive influence in New Spain, and
did with the Indians what she pleased.
While Cortes was staying in Guacasualco, he ordered all the caziques of
the province to assemble, and advised them to adopt our holy religion.
On this occasion the mother and brother of Dona Marina also made their
appearance with the other caziques. They recognized each other
immediately; the former, however, appeared to be in the greatest
anxiety, thinking that they had merely been called there to be killed.
Dona Marina, however, desired them to dry away their tears, and
comforted them by saying they were unconscious of what they were doing
when they had sent her away to the inhabitants of Xicalango, and that
she freely forgave the past. By this means God certainly directed
everything for her best, turned her away from the errors of heathenism,
and converted her to Christianity.
Thus destined, she likewise bore a son unto her master Cortes, and then
married a cavalier named Juan Xaramillo. All this I consider of much
greater importance than if she had been presented with the sole dominion
of the whole of New Spain. She likewise gave presents to her relatives
on their return home. What I have related is the strict truth, and can
swear to it. Gomara's account respecting this is wholly erroneous, and
he adds many other circumstances which I shall leave without comment.
This, however, is certain, that the whole affair reminds one of the
history of Joseph and his brethren in Egypt, when they came into his
power. After this diversion into matters which subsequently took place,
I must relate how we first managed to understand Dona Marina. She was
conversant with the language of Guacasualco, which is the Mexican, and
with that of Tabasco. Aguilar, however, merely understood the latter,
which is spoken throughout the whole of Yucatan. Dona Marina had,
therefore, first to make herself understood to Aguilar, who then
translated what she said into Spanish. This woman was a valuable
instrument to us in the conquest of New Spain. It was, through her only,
under the protection of the Almighty, that many things[15] were
accomplished by us: without her we never should have understood the
Mexican language, and, upon the whole, have been unable to surmount many
difficulties.
Let this suffice respecting Dona Marina; I will now relate how we
arrived in San Juan de Ulua.
[15] On this woman the captain Cadahalso, in his 'Cartas Marruecas,'
passes the following encomium: "Primera muger, que no ha prejudicado en
uno exercito;" i.e. "The first woman who ever accompanied an army
without being a prejudice to it." (p. 85.)