ion which was due to them, that a present worthy of the
emperor's acceptance might be sent home. It is only another proof of the
extraordinary power which Cortes had over these rough soldiers, who
cared for nothing but plunder, that not a single one refused to give up
the very treasure which he had risked so much to gain.

[Illustration]

These are some of the wonderful things that were sent. Two collars made
of gold and precious stones. Two birds made of green feathers, with
feet, beaks, and eyes of gold, and in the same piece with them animals
of gold resembling snails. A large alligator's head of gold. Two birds
made of thread and feather-work, having the quills of their wings and
tails, their feet, eyes and the ends of their beaks of gold, standing
upon two reeds covered with gold, which are raised on balls of
feather-work and gold embroidery, one white and the other yellow, with
seven tassels of feather-work hanging from each of them. A large silver
wheel, also bracelets, leaves, and five shields of the same metal. A
box of feather-work embroidered on leather, with a large plate of gold
weighing seventy ounces in the midst. A large wheel of gold with figures
of strange animals on it, and worked with tufts of leaves, weighing
three thousand eight hundred ounces. A fan of variegated feather-work
with thirty-seven rods plated with gold. Sixteen shields of precious
stones, with feathers of various colours hanging from their rims, and
six shields each covered with a plate of gold, with something resembling
a mitre in the centre. Besides all this there was a quantity of gold
ore, and many pieces of richly embroidered cotton cloth and
feather-work. He accompanied this present with a letter to the emperor
in which he gave an account of all his adventures and discoveries, and
ended by beseeching him to confirm his authority, as he was entirely
confident that he should be able to place the Castilian crown in
possession of this great Indian empire. He also sent four slaves, who
had been rescued from the cage in which were kept the victims about to
be sacrificed, and some Mexican manuscripts.

Very soon after the departure of the treasure-ship Cortes discovered
that there was a conspiracy among some of his followers, who either did
not like the way the general arranged matters, or else were terrified at
the prospect of the dangerous campaign that was before them. They had
seized one of the ships, and got provisions and water