ssioned with the colonization of Oaxaca.

The inhabitants of the provinces I have just mentioned would not at
first credit that Mexico had fallen; but when they found it to be a
fact, the kings and caziques of those distant provinces sent ambassadors
to congratulate Cortes on his victory, and to declare themselves vassals
of our emperor; as also to convince themselves with their own eyes that
we had really levelled that terrible city to the ground. Each of these
ambassadors brought with them valuable presents in gold, and many had
their young sons with them, to whom they pointed out the ruins of
Mexico, just as we would show our children the spot where Troy once
stood.

I will now answer a question which the curious reader will surely ask
himself, namely, why we, the true Conquistadores of New Spain, and of
the strong city of Mexico, did not settle down there, but selected other
provinces by preference? The reason is, that we had learnt from
Motecusuma's rent-rolls where those districts lay from which he derived
the greatest quantity of gold, cacao, and cotton stuffs. All our
thoughts and desires were bent upon those provinces whence the monarch
obtained the largest tribute in gold, and when we found that even
Sandoval, one of our chief officers, and a particular friend of Cortes,
likewise left Mexico for the provinces, we no longer hesitated to follow
his example; the more so, as there were no gold mines in the
neighbourhood of Mexico, nor did it produce cotton or cacao, but merely
maguey and maise, from the former of which the inhabitants prepare their
wine. We therefore considered the country surrounding the metropolis
very poor, and we consequently settled in other provinces, though we
were greatly disappointed in our expectations! This Cortes had well
foreseen, and I still remember that he said to me, when I requested his
permission to accompany Sandoval: "Upon my conscience, brother Bernal
Diaz del Castillo, you are making a great mistake. I should feel
delighted if you would stay with me in Mexico; but if you have made up
your mind to accompany your friend Sandoval, I will not oppose your
wishes, and may God be with you. You may rely upon it I will take every
opportunity to promote your welfare; but I am sure you will soon regret
having left me."

Before we commenced our march each man received an account of his share
of the booty, when it was found that all our shares of the gold were due
to the officers of t