_How Juan Velasquez arrives in Narvaez's head-quarters, and what
took place there._
Juan Velasquez travelled so fast that he arrived at Sempoalla towards
daybreak. He alighted at the house of the fat cazique; as the servant
whom Cortes had sent with him had no horse, he therefore walked on foot
to Narvaez's quarters. The Indians of Sempoalla all recognized him, and
were highly pleased to see and converse with him again. When, however,
some of Narvaez's men, who were quartered in the cazique's house, heard
the Indians say that it was Velasquez de Leon, one of Malinche's
officers, they hastened to Narvaez, and told him they brought a piece of
news for which they might expect a reward. And before Leon had arrived
at the latter's quarters, Narvaez, who was highly delighted to hear of
his arrival, hastened out, accompanied by several of his officers, to
meet him, and received him with a hearty embrace. After they had entered
his abode, he requested Velasquez to take a chair, (for in this
expedition they had even furnished themselves with such things,) and
reproached him in a friendly tone for not having alighted at his
quarters, and immediately sent some of his men for his horse and
baggage, as he would not hear of his staying in any house but his own.
Velasquez, however, observed, that he could not stay long, as he had
merely come to pay his respects to him and his officers, and try if
peace and friendship could not be brought about between his excellency
and Cortes.
Narvaez's blood rose to his cheeks at this expression, and he asked
Velasquez how he could talk of peace and friendship with a man who had,
like a traitor, run away with the whole armament of his own cousin, the
governor of Cuba?
Juan Velasquez replied, in an equally sharp tone of voice, that Cortes
was not a traitor, but a faithful servant to his emperor; that such
services as he had rendered to the crown could not be termed the
actions of a traitor, and he must beg of him not again to make use of
such expressions in his presence.
Upon this Narvaez assumed a different tone, and made Velasquez vast
promises if he would remain with him; even promised him, and sealed it
with an oath, that he would elevate him to second in command to himself,
if he would manage to induce Cortes' troops to join his standard of
their own free will. Velasquez, however, assured him he should consider
himself the vilest of traitors if he deserted a general to whom he had
sworn fidelity, and of whom he was convinced that everything he had done
in New Spain was for the emperor's best interest. On the contrary, he
was determined to remain as faithful and true to Cortes as to the
emperor himself, and he earnestly begged of him not to touch upon that
string again.
During this conversation, Narvaez's chief officers had, by degrees, all
arrived to pay their respects to Velasquez, which they did with every
show of courtesy, as Velasquez was a man of elegant carriage and
powerful stature, and had a winning countenance; his beard looked
majestic, a heavy gold chain hung from his shoulder in graceful folds,
and sat well on this courageous and spirited officer. After this
discourse with Narvaez, Velasquez turned to the other officers, and
entered into private conversation with father Olmedo, Duero, and
Bermudez.
Narvaez's party, however, were of a different opinion with respect to
Velasquez, and some of the officers, among whom were Gamarra, Juan
Yuste, Juan Bono de Quexo, and the braggadocio Salvatierra, pressed
Narvaez very hard to throw him into chains, as he was secretly striving
to gain over his men in favour of Cortes. This Narvaez was very willing
to do, and had already issued orders to that purpose, when Bermudez,
Duero, and several others who favored our general, received intimation
thereof, and remonstrated with Narvaez as to the policy of such a step,
and the benefit he would derive from it, as Cortes, though he had an
additional hundred officers such as Velasquez, would be unable to cope
with him. He should also bear in mind how Cortes had received all those
who visited his camp; how well he had treated every one, and presented
them so plentifully with jewels and other matters, that every one, up to
the present moment, had left him laden like bees returning to their
hives. It was equally in Cortes' power to have detained Duero, the
priest Guevara, and others; this, however, he had not done, but, on the
contrary, had shown them every possible respect. It would certainly be
more to Narvaez's advantage to behave courteously to Velasquez in
return, and invite him to dinner on the following day.
Narvaez was fully convinced of the truth of these arguments, and
requested Velasquez, in the kindest terms, to become mediator between
Cortes and himself, and try if he could not succeed to induce the former
and his troops to join his standard; and then invited him to dinner on
the next day. Velasquez promised to make the attempt, but, at the same
time, stated that he entertained few hopes of success, as Cortes was
very determined on that head. The best method of settling the matter, in
his opinion, was, by a division of the provinces between both generals,
and Cortes would gladly leave the choice to him.
Velasquez, however, merely made this observation to make Narvaez a
little more tractable. During this discourse, father Olmedo stepped up,
and, as one of Narvaez's confidential friends and advisers, (for thus
far he had succeeded with him,) proposed, that he should draw out the
whole of his troops, with the cavalry and artillery, before Velasquez
and his servant Juan, to show them the powerful army he commanded, and
that they might relate what they had seen to Cortes, which would
certainly produce the desired effect, and convince him he could not do
better than submit to him. Narvaez followed this counsel, which Olmedo
had merely advised to vex all his cavaliers and soldiers. The alarm was
accordingly sounded, and the whole of the troops were thus obliged to
march out before Velasquez, his servant Juan, and father Olmedo.
After Velasquez had gazed upon the troops for some time, he said to
Narvaez, "Certainly, your excellency's power is considerable, and may
God grant you a further increase of it!"
"Well," replied Narvaez, "are you now not fully convinced that it would
merely cost me a day's march to overthrow Cortes and the whole of you?"
"I will not say anything about that," said Velasquez; "but you may
depend upon it we should not sell our lives cheaply."
The following day Velasquez was to dine with Narvaez. At table he
likewise met a nephew of the governor of Cuba, who bore the same name,
and had the command of a company. During dinner-time, the conversation
turned upon Cortes' obstinacy, and the letter he had written to Narvaez;
and, one word leading to another, Diego Velasquez asserted, at length,
that Cortes and all those who sided with him were traitors for not
submitting to Narvaez.
At this expression, Juan Velasquez rose up from his seat, and said, with
much warmth, "General Narvaez, I have once previously begged of you not
to allow such language in my presence against Cortes or any man of his
troops. It is really scandalous to speak ill of us who have served his
majesty so faithfully."
"And I," interrupted Diego Velasquez, in an angry tone, "maintain that I
have merely spoken the truth in calling you traitors. You are a traitor,
and all the rest of you, and you are unworthy the name of Velasquez
which you bear."
Leon now laid hand on his sword, and called Diego a liar; swearing he
was a better nobleman than he or his uncle, and that the house of
Velasquez to which he belonged was a very different one to Diego's or
his uncle's. Of this he would give instant proof if General Narvaez
would allow him.
As many of Narvaez's officers and a few of Cortes' were present during
this scene, they interfered and prevented any open violence, as Leon was
just about to draw his sword against his opponent.
The other officers now advised Narvaez to order Juan Velasquez, his
servant, and father Olmedo to quit their camp without any further
ceremony, as their stay there would only cause worse blood. Orders to
this effect were accordingly issued, and our men delayed not an instant
to hasten their departure. Leon was seated on his fine mare, and clad in
his coat of mail, which he scarcely ever put off, and had his helmet on,
when he once more called upon Narvaez to take leave. Young Diego
Velasquez was standing next to the latter at the time, and when Leon
inquired of Narvaez if he had any message to Cortes, he replied, in
great ill humour, "I beg of you to leave this instant, and it would have
been much better if you had stayed away altogether." Young Velasquez
then opened his mouth, and threw out most abusive language against him.
Leon, in return, assured him his insolence would meet with its due
reward, and a few days would show whether the bravery of his arm
corresponded with the boldness of his tongue. As they were continually
growing more bitter in their expressions, five or six of Cortes'
adherents among Narvaez's officers, who intended to escort Leon, came
up, and told him, rather harshly, it was time to be moving, and no
longer to spend his breath in useless words. They merely assumed this
tone to get him as quickly out of the way as possible, for they
afterwards told him that Narvaez had already issued orders for seizing
his person; indeed, he had every reason to make haste, for a numerous
body of cavalry was already hard at his heels when he arrived at the
river above mentioned.--We were just taking our midday's nap when our
outpost brought information that two or three men on horseback were
approaching our camp, and we immediately concluded it must be Leon, his
servant Juan, and father Olmedo.
Cortes and all of us were delighted to see them safely returned. Leon
then related what the reader has just heard, and how he had secretly
distributed the presents as Cortes had desired. We were particularly
amused with what father Olmedo related as to the manner in which he had
flattered Narvaez, and in mockery advised him to sound an alarm and
sally out with his heavy guns; and also with the cunning he had employed
to introduce Cortes' letter. But when he came to Salvatierra, and drew a
picture of what had taken place between the latter and himself, how he
had made out that they were relations, and the intimate friendship which
grew up between them, and the bold language Salvatierra had presumed to
throw out when he spoke of taking Cortes and all of us prisoners, and
how he swore to revenge himself upon the soldiers who had run off with
his and another officer's horse, we really laughed and rejoiced as if
nothing but mirth and pleasure awaited us, and we no longer gave it a
thought we should have to fight a battle next day, and measure our
strength with five times our numbers, no other choice being left us but
victory or death.
When the heat of the day had somewhat cooled, we continued our march to
Sempoalla, and encamped for the night near a brook about four miles from
the town, at a spot where, at that time, there was a bridge, and, at
present, a farm-house is built.
I must again, however, return to Narvaez's head-quarters, and relate
what happened there after the departure of Leon and father Olmedo.