_How Narvaez arrives with the whole of his flotilla in the harbour
of San Juan de Ulua, and what happened upon this._
When Narvaez had arrived with the flotilla off the mountains of San
Martin, a north wind arose, which is always dangerous on these coasts.
One of the vessels commanded by a cavalier, named Christobal de Morante,
of Medina del Campo, was wrecked during night-time off the coast, and
the greater part of the men perished. The other vessels, however,
arrived safely in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua.
This armament, which may indeed be considered extensive, considering it
was fitted out at Cuba, was first of all seen by some soldiers whom
Cortes had sent out in search of gold mines. Three of these, Cervantes,
Escalona, and Alonso Carretero, did not hesitate a moment to go on
board the commander's ship, and are said, as soon as they stepped on
board to have praised the Almighty for having rescued them out of the
hands of Cortes and the great city of Mexico, where death stood daily
before their eyes.
Narvaez ordered meat and drink to be set before them, and as their
glasses were abundantly filled, they said to one another in his
presence: "This is indeed leading a different sort of life with a glass
of good wine in one's hand, when compared to the slavery under Cortes,
who allows a person no rest either night or day; where a person dares
scarcely say a word, and death is always staring him in the face."
Cervantes, however, who was a low buffoon, even addressed Narvaez
himself, and exclaimed: "O Narvaez! Narvaez, what a fortunate man you
are, that you just arrive at the moment when the traitor Cortes has
heaped together above 700,000 pesos, and the whole of his men are so
enraged with him for his having cheated them out of the greater part of
the gold, that many even disdain to accept of their shares."
Such was the language which these low-minded and worthless fellows
uttered, and they told Narvaez more than he was desirous of knowing.
They likewise informed him that thirty-two miles further on he would
come to a town we had built, called Vera Cruz, which had a garrison of
sixty men, all invalids, under an officer named Sandoval, and he had
merely to show himself with a few men there and they would immediately
deliver up the town to him.
Motecusuma was immediately apprized of the arrival of this flotilla, and
without saying a single word to Cortes despatched several of his chief
officers to Narvaez, with a present in gold and other things; and
commanded the inhabitants to furnish him with provisions.
Narvaez, in his message to Motecusuma, calumniated Cortes and all of us,
telling him we were nothing but a parcel of thieves and vagabonds, who
had fled from Spain without the knowledge of our emperor, but his
imperial majesty having been informed that we were in this country
committing all manner of depredations, and that we had even imprisoned
its monarch, had ordered him to repair hither with his flotilla and
troops, to put an end to these disorders and liberate the monarch. He
had likewise received orders to put Cortes and all his men to the sword,
or take them alive and send them prisoners to Spain, where death awaited
them. This sober language the three soldiers, who understood the Mexican
language were to translate to Motecusuma's messengers, to whom Narvaez
at the same time sent a present of some Spanish goods.
Motecusuma was not a little delighted with this message, particularly
when he learnt the number of Narvaez's vessels, of his cannon, and his
1300 soldiers. He, of course, thought it would be an easy matter for
Narvaez to overcome us, and as his messengers had seen the three
treacherous rascals who had deserted to Narvaez, he found the more
reason to believe all the scandal the latter had said concerning Cortes.
Besides which he received an accurate description of the whole armament
from his artists, who had immediately depicted on cotton cloth
everything they saw. He therefore sent a second message, accompanied by
more valuable presents in gold and cotton stuffs to Narvaez, with strict
commands to the inhabitants of the coast to supply him with plenty of
provisions.
Motecusuma had received intelligence of the arrival of the flotilla off
the coast three days before Cortes. When the latter, as usual, one day
paid a visit to the monarch he found him in particular good spirits, and
asked him what had occasioned it? Motecusuma replied, that he found
himself in better health than he had done for some time past.
Cortes, who was very much surprised at this sudden change in the
monarch, called upon him a second time that day, and now the latter
began to fear our general was cognizant of the arrival of the flotilla.
To remove all suspicion from his mind, therefore, he thought it better
to break the news to him himself. "I have just this moment, Malinche,"
said he, "received the information that an armament of eighteen vessels,
with a great number of soldiers and horses, has arrived in the harbour
where you landed. Pictures of the whole armament have been transmitted
to me. This, no doubt, is no news to you, and I thought from your second
visit to me this day, you came to bring me the intelligence yourself,
and that now there was no need for you to build new vessels. Though I
may have felt hurt that you wished to keep all this a secret from me,
yet, on the other hand, I am delighted at the arrival of your brothers,
with whom you can now return to Spain; which thus removes all
difficulties at once."
When Cortes heard this and saw the painting which the Mexicans had made
of all the vessels, he exclaimed in the excess of his delight: "Praise
be to God, whose assistance always comes at the right time!" Indeed the
whole of us greatly rejoiced at this news, we galloped about on our
horses, and fired salute after salute.
Cortes, however, began to consider it in a more serious light than he
had done in the first moments, as he now plainly saw that this armament
was sent out against us by Velasquez; and he communicated his
suspicions to us all, and by great presents and promises he made us
pledge ourselves not to act any way against his interests; which we did
the more readily, as the commander of this new armament was totally
unknown to us. Our joy was now excessive, not only on account of the
gold which Cortes gave us from his private purse, but at the arrival of
this flotilla, which we saw the Almighty had sent to us in our distress.