_How the officers whom Cortes had despatched to the gold mines and
the river Guacasualco[73] returned to Mexico._
The first who returned to Mexico was Gonzalo de Umbria, with his
companions. He brought with him about 300 pesos worth of gold dust,
which they had collected in the township of Zacatula. There, he related,
the caziques of the province employed numbers of the inhabitants at the
rivers to wash gold out of the sand in small troughs. There were two
rivers from which gold dust was collected, and if clever miners were set
to work there, and the mining carried out in the same way as at St.
Domingo and Cuba, they would prove very profitable.
Four distinguished chiefs of that province had accompanied Umbria to
Mexico, with a present in gold trinkets for our emperor, valued at about
200 pesos. Cortes was as much pleased with this small quantity of gold
as if it had been worth 3000 pesos, as he now knew for a certainty that
there were rich mines in those parts. He treated the caziques who
brought this present very kindly, gave them glass beads, and promised
them all manner of good things; so that they returned home highly
delighted.
Besides this, Umbria spoke about many other large townships in the
neighbourhood of Mexico, and of a province on the confines, called
Matlaltzinco. We could well perceive that Umbria and his companions had
not forgotten themselves, for they had well stuffed their pockets with
gold. This Cortes had readily foreseen, and purposely selected Umbria
for that journey, to regain his friendship, and that he might forget the
severe sentence which he had passed upon him.
Neither did Diego de Ordas, who had been sent to the river Guacasualco,
return with empty hands. He had likewise passed through large townships,
all of which he mentioned by name, and had everywhere been received with
great respect. Every town he came to he had met with endless complaints
from the inhabitants respecting the depredations and cruelties exercised
upon them by the Mexican troops stationed on the confines. Ordas, and
the distinguished Mexicans who accompanied him, had severely reprimanded
the officers who commanded these troops, and threatened to acquaint
Motecusuma with every circumstance, who would certainly send for and
punish them with equal severity as he had Quauhpopoca for similar
misconduct. These remonstrances had the desired effect, and on his
further journey Ordas was only accompanied by one of his Mexican
fellow-travellers. Tochel, cazique of the province of Guacasualco,
having received information of Ordas's approach, sent out several
distinguished personages to meet him. Everywhere he met with the kindest
reception, for the inhabitants had learnt to know what kind of people we
were, from the expedition under Grijalva.
In order to assist him in exploring this river, the cazique Tochel not
only lent him several large canoes, but himself, accompanied by a number
of his officers, had accompanied him to the river Guacasualco. At the
mouth of this river Ordas found a depth of three fathoms, but higher up
the river became gradually deeper, and was navigable for large vessels;
and near a certain Indian village there was depth enough to carry a
Spanish carack. In this village the inhabitants presented Ordas with
some gold trinkets and a pretty Indian female. They likewise declared
themselves vassals of our emperor, and complained bitterly of
Motecusuma, and the cruelties exercised by his troops. It was only a
short time ago they had fought a battle against the latter, and slain
great numbers of them; for which reason they had named the small
village where the engagement took place _Cuitlonemiqui_, which in their
language means the _spot where the Mexican beasts fell_. Ordas thanked
them very kindly for the great respect they had shown him, and presented
them with some glass beads. He likewise said that the country was well
adapted for the breeding of cattle, and the harbour excellently situated
for trading with Cuba, St. Domingo, and Jamaica, but too far distant
from Mexico; and, what was worse, full of shallows; which was the reason
we seldom made use of this harbour for commerce, or transporting goods
from Mexico.
With respect to Pizarro, he returned, with only one of the Spaniards who
accompanied him to Tustepec, but he had been more fortunate in the
discovery of gold, of which he brought with him dust of that metal to
the value of 1000 pesos. He related that he had himself commenced
washing for gold dust in the provinces of Tustepec and Malinaltepec, and
neighbouring districts; for which purpose he had employed a considerable
number of Indians, whom he remunerated for their labour with two thirds
of the gold they found. He had likewise visited other provinces higher
up in the mountains, called the country of the Chinantecs. Here he was
met by a number of Indians, armed with bows, arrows, shields, and
lances, of much greater length than ours. They declared that no Mexican
should set foot in their territory, under pain of death, but that the
teules were very welcome. The Mexicans consequently remained behind, and
Pizarro pursued his journey with the Spaniards only. The Chinantec
caziques then ordered a number of the inhabitants to repair to the
river, to wash the gold dust from the sand. The gold dust here found is
of a curly shape, and the inhabitants said that the mines, where the
metal was found in that shape, were much more productive and the metal
more solid. Pizarro was likewise accompanied by two caziques of that
country, who, in the name of the inhabitants, came to make friendship
with us, and declare themselves vassals of our emperor. They also
brought a present in gold, and complained bitterly of the Mexicans, who
were held in such utter abhorrence by them, on account of their lust
after plunder, that they could not endure the sight of a Mexican, or
bear to hear their name pronounced.
Cortes received Pizarro and the caziques with every possible kindness,
and returned the latter many thanks for their present, assuring them of
our friendship, and readiness to serve them at all times, and then
dismissed them. That, however, they might travel in safety through the
Mexican territories, he desired two distinguished Mexicans to accompany
them to the confines, for which they were very thankful. Cortes then
inquired of Pizarro what had become of the other Spaniards who had
accompanied him. Pizarro replied, that he had ordered them to remain
behind there, as the soil seemed so rich, and abounded in gold mines,
and the inhabitants so peaceably inclined. He had desired them to form a
small settlement there, and lay out extensive grounds for cacao, maise,
and cotton plantations; also to promote the breed of cattle, and explore
the gold mines of the country. Cortes greatly disapproved of his having
exceeded his commands, and upbraided him severely in private, telling
him that it betrayed a low disposition instantly to begin thinking of
speculation in cacao plantations and breeding of cattle. Cortes then
despatched a soldier, named Alonso Luis, to the Spaniards left behind,
with orders for their immediate return to Mexico.
[73] At the present day even this river is known in New Spain by the
name of Huasacualco, and even Guacasualco. (p. 274.)