The very appointment seemed to change the whole character of the new
admiral. He became a different man. His high spirits now changed to a
tireless energy. He spent his money freely in fitting out the fleet, and
even mortgaged his estate to raise more, and borrowed all he could. He
worked incessantly, and inspired his companions and followers to active
and enthusiastic toil. He was so popular in the island that several
hundred recruits soon flocked to his banner, and six ships, some of them
of large size, were rapidly got ready and stocked with provisions and
military stores.
Yet at the last moment it seemed as if all the labor and cost of Cortez
would go for naught. Velasquez grew suspicious of him, and decided to rob
him of his command and trust the fleet to safer hands. But he was not
dealing with a man who could be played with in this fast and loose
fashion. The secret was whispered to Cortez, and he decided to sail at
once, though he was still short of men, of vessels, and of supplies. That
night he took on board all the meat in the town, weighed anchor, and got
ready to set sail.
At day-dawn the news came to Velasquez that the fleet was about to depart.
In a panic he sprang from his bed, threw on his clothes, mounted his
horse, and rode in all haste to the beach. Cortez entered a boat and rowed
near enough to the shore to speak with him.
"And is this the way you leave me?" cried the angry governor; "a courteous
leave-taking, truly."
"Pardon me," said Cortez; "time presses, and there are some things that
should be done before they are even thought of. Has your excellency any
commands?"
His excellency would have commanded him to come on shore, if it had been
of any use. As it was he had little to say, and with a polite wave of the
hand Cortez returned to his ships. Soon only their vanishing hulls were to
be seen.
The fleet stopped for supplies at Macaca and at Trinidad. At the last
place many men, and several cavaliers who were to prove his ablest
officers, joined him. While there, letters came from Velasquez to the
governor of Trinidad, ordering him ta arrest Cortez, and hold the fleet
for a new admiral who was to command it. The governor looked at Cortez and
his men and concluded that he had better let them alone. They were too
strong for him to deal with.
So once more the bold adventurers escaped from Velasquez and his schemes
and sailed in triumph away, this time for Havana. Here, also, the governor
of the place had received orders to arrest Cortez, and here, also, he did
not dare attempt it. Velasquez also wrote to Cortez, asking him to wait
till he could see him. Hernando Cortez was hardly the fool to pay any heed
to such a letter as that. The lion was hardly likely to trust himself to
the fox. He sent him a very polite and mild answer, saying that he would
not lose sight of the interests of his excellency, and that he and the
fleet, "God willing, would set sail the next morning."
Finally, on the 18th of February, 1519, the fleet lost sight of Cuba at
Cape San Antonio, on the western end of the island. It consisted in all of
eleven vessels, most of them small, and had on board six hundred and
sixty-three soldiers and sailors. A few of these were armed with
cross-bows and only thirteen with muskets, while the horses numbered only
sixteen. In addition there were ten heavy guns and four lighter ones, with
a good supply of ammunition.
Such was the fleet and such the force with which Hernando Cortez set sail
to conquer a powerful and warlike nation. Fortunately the expedition had
one of the world's great commanders at its head, or the enterprise would
have ended in failure instead of leading, as it did, to a wonderful
success.