_How we found on our return to our encampment that new intrigues had
been set on foot; and the answer Cortes gave to certain
representations which were made to him._
On returning to our head-quarters from Zumpanzingo with a good supply of
provisions, and delighted with the peace we had concluded with the
inhabitants, we met with nothing but complaints and discontent. We heard
of nothing else than the imminent dangers we were daily exposed to in
this campaign; nor did our arrival mend matters. Foremost among the
discontented were those again who possessed settlements and Indian
commendaries at Cuba, nor did they confine themselves to murmuring in
secret, but seven of them, whose names, for honour's sake, I will
refrain from mentioning, confederated together, and repaired to the
quarters of Cortes. One of them was chosen spokesman. He was a man
eloquent in address, and perfect master of the subject he was about to
speak on.
He began in the kindly tone of giving advice, and desired Cortes to
consider our wounds, how disabled and knocked up we were by the
excessive hardships we had to undergo day and night, by constant
battling, patrolling the country, standing at the outposts, and
reconnoitring about. They had calculated, he said, that we had already
lost fifty-five of our men since our departure from Cuba. Neither did we
know how matters stood with our garrison at Vera Cruz. Though the
Almighty had everywhere granted us victory, it was merely out of the
abundance of his mercy towards us. It was not right to calculate too
long upon his mercy and forbearance, for that would be tempting him. The
pitcher goes to the well until it is broken, and one morning or other we
should undoubtedly be sacrificed to the idols. God in his mercy might
certainly avert this; but then also it was necessary we should return to
Vera Cruz and there remain quiet, where we should be surrounded by our
friends and allies, the tribes of the Totonaque mountains, until we had
fitted out a vessel and sent to Diego Velasquez and to the islands for a
fresh supply of men and other necessaries. What a good thing if our
vessels had been preserved, or at least a couple, in case of accident.
But, alas! he had followed the advice of men who did not consider the
instability of fortune, and who had totally destroyed the last means of
escape.
"May God forbid," said they, "that you and those whose advice it was,
may not yet have to rue it. The measure of our miseries is already full;
our condition begins to be insupportable, and the life we lead is worse
than that of beasts of burden. When these have gone their day's journey,
their load is taken off, food is given them, and they are allowed to
take rest; we, on the contrary, are always under arms, nor do we ever
take our clothes off. He might compare the histories of the Romans, of
Alexander the Great, and of the most celebrated generals," continued
they, "and he would find that none of them ever destroyed a fleet, when
similarly situated as we were, a mere handful of men amidst numerous and
warlike tribes. He would have to answer for his own death and the
destruction of us all. He should at least attempt to save ours and his
own life, and march back to Vera Cruz, while we were still at peace with
the country. They would gladly have mentioned all this earlier to him;
but the vast numbers of the enemy by which we had been daily surrounded
had given them no opportunity; this, however, was now at last presented
them by the quiet demeanour of the foe. For the rest, the enemy would
certainly return, the three days which Xicotencatl had allowed to pass
by was merely in expectation of a fresh supply of men. We could not
think of coming to another trial of strength as we had done up to this
moment."
These and other representations they made to Cortes, and held up their
heads pretty high the whole time. As, however, all was said under the
guise of giving good advice, Cortes answered them very mildly, as nearly
as possible in these words: "Much of what you have been representing to
me has not escaped my own notice; but, what I have seen above all
things, and of which I have gained the most convincing proofs, is this,
that the whole world could not produce Spaniards who are so brave, and
fight so courageously, and who could bear hardships as well as we do.
Indeed, we should have been inevitably lost if we had not continually
held our weapons in our hands, kept patrolling and watching day and
night, and boldly encountered all weathers. We are indebted to our
safety by having manfully borne these and other greater hardships. The
Almighty certainly lent us his aid, yet I cannot imagine to myself a
greater piece of heroism, when I bring back to my recollection the vast
crowds of the enemy, how they locked us in on all sides with their
troops, and fell upon us with their broad swords, particularly in that
battle where they killed one of our horses. At that critical moment I
learnt more of your noble character than on any former occasion. And
since the Almighty rescued us out of that battle I have gained the hope
that our future endeavours will be crowned with success. I can call you
to witness, that I was never found for an instant to lack courage in any
of the dangers I have shared with you; nor have you, I must add, ever
proved unworthy of the trust I reposed in you."
It was perfectly true what Cortes said of himself, for he was always
found foremost in battle.
"Neither must you forget, gentlemen," continued he, "that up to this
moment the Almighty has lent us his protection, and we may confidently
hope he will not desert us in future, for, from our first arrival in
this country we have announced his holy religion to the different tribes
according to the best of our abilities and destroyed the idols. We may
also, in trusting to God and our mediator the holy apostle Peter,
consider the war in this province at an end, since Xicotencatl and the
other chiefs no longer show themselves, because they fear us on account
of the destruction we made among their troops in the late battles, or it
may be they are unable to rally their men again. The inhabitants of
Zumpanzingo willingly furnish us with provisions, while the surrounding
tribes continue peaceably in their villages. With regard to our vessels,
it was, indeed, requisite they should be destroyed, and if I did not
consult all of you on the occasion I had sufficient reason for pursuing
that course after the occurrence on the downs, which, however, I will
not enter into here. The course you advised me to adopt on the former
occasion, and your present discontent, both emanate from the same bad
feeling; but you should remember that there are several cavaliers among
our troops who are not of the same opinion with yourselves, who request
and counsel that we should continue as heretofore to repose our trust in
God alone, and faithfully fulfil our duties in his holy service. You
are, however, perfectly justified in saying that the most renowned
generals of Rome even cannot boast of such military exploits as we can.
Future historians will also have to relate, if God be willing, greater
things of us than of them. We shall continually be reaping harvests of
glory, because strict justice and christian feeling are everywhere our
guides, and also because our endeavours are exerted in the service of
God and of our emperor. You cannot, gentlemen, have weighed the matter
well if you suppose we could save ourselves by a retreat: for the
instant these people were to observe this, and though we should depart
from them in profound peace, the very stones of the ground would be
raised up against us. And in the same way the Indians now stare at us as
if we were beings of a superior order, or rather gods, as they term us,
they would then consider us cowards and poltroons. We might, you say,
settle ourselves quietly down among our allies, the tribes of the
Totonaque mountains! To which my answer is, that even they would rise up
against us immediately they perceive we are turning back without
marching on to Mexico; for if we leave them, and they refuse to pay
tribute to Motecusuma as heretofore, he will send his armies against
them not merely to subdue, but to compel them to declare war with us;
and if they are not desirous of being annihilated, what other course
could they pursue? In this way, where we had thought to have friends, we
should be preparing ourselves enemies. What reflections would the
powerful Motecusuma make, and what judgment would he pass upon our
previous speeches and the messages we sent him if we were to turn back?
He would think we had been jesting with him. Thus you see, gentlemen, it
looks bad one way and worse another. The most prudent step we can take
for the present is to maintain our ground here in this thickly populated
valley where we can obtain provisions in abundance. To-day we have
fowls, to-morrow dogs, and thus, thank God, we shall always have plenty
of food. Salt and warmer clothing are really at present the only great
privations we suffer. You further state, that we have lost fifty-five
men since our departure from Cuba from famine, cold, fatigue, disease,
and from wounds: that our numbers are very small, and all of us more or
less suffering from ill health. But, on the other hand, you must
remember that God has given us the power of numbers, and that war is
ever accompanied by loss of men and horses. To-day we have provisions,
the next day none. And you must also bear in mind that we are not come
into this country to seek repose, but to fight valiantly about whenever
it may be necessary. I, therefore, beg of you, gentlemen, who are
cavaliers, and who have up to this moment behaved so courageously, and
whom despondency so ill suits, to drive from your minds all remembrance
of Cuba and everything you have left behind there. Show yourselves brave
soldiers as you have hitherto, for next to God, who is our strength, all
depends upon the valour of our arms."
With this answer the deputies repaired to their partisans, who all
declared they could not contradict anything our general had stated, and
remarked that we had certainly departed from Vera Cruz with the full
intention of marching to Mexico; but that at present we were better
informed as to the strength of that city and its numerous troops. The
Tlascallans themselves never mentioned the Mexican name but with terror.
We said the Sempoallans were at peace with us, but we had as few certain
proofs of that as of the state of affairs in Mexico. Up to this moment
we had altogether suffered so much that if we were once again so
furiously attacked as we had been in the late battles, we should be
unable to stand against them. Suppose even they were to remain quiet for
the present, our march to Mexico would, nevertheless, be a monstrous
undertaking; and they were surprised at the man who could desire it and
issue commands to that effect. To all this Cortes replied rather
angrily: "Even then it is better to die like a brave warrior, as the
poets say, than to live a coward!" We others who closely adhered to our
general, and had consented to the destruction of our vessels, and
appointed him captain-general, agreed with all he had said, and desired
him in a loud voice not to trouble himself any further about their talk
and complaints, but to order everything, with the aid of God, as
circumstances might require, and to rely on our faithful assistance.
Herewith an end was put to all their cabals. They certainly continued
their murmurings against Cortes, and cursed us who adhered to him, and
the Sempoallans for having proposed this route; making altogether use
of language which little beseemed them; but for the time being they
remained quiet, and obeyed our general even to a wink.
In the meantime the elders of Tlascalla again sent peremptory orders to
Xicotencatl not to attack us, but to send us provisions and repair to
our camp in person to conclude a treaty of peace with us. This was the
desire of all the caziques and principal personages of Huexotzinco and
Tlascalla. A message was at the same time forwarded to each of his
officers, commanding them not to obey him in anything which had not
reference to a conclusion of peace. These orders were despatched no less
than three successive times to Xicotencatl, information having been
received that he was not only determined to lend a deaf ear to these
injunctions, but to fall upon us the very next night, for which purpose
he had assembled 20,000 warriors. Thus ever presumptuous and haughty, he
now again refused to listen to their commands, and we shall see in the
following chapter how this terminated.