ntity, either for
Cortes, Sandoval, or the other superior officers. "This is for Cortes!"
cried they each time they forcibly carried off a load of provisions. His
major-domo Carranza, and his butler Guinea, certainly disputed the
possession with them, and tugged with all their might at the sacks, but
our men were determined to keep all to themselves, and continually cried
out: "Cortes and you regaled yourselves with the hogs while we were
famishing with hunger, and you never offered us a morsel; and now in our
turn we are determined to care for nobody but ourselves!" In short, all
Cortes' officials might say went for nothing, and they divided the whole
of the provisions among themselves.

When Cortes heard this he stamped the ground with rage, swore he would
bring the guilty persons to trial and punish them severely. However,
after he had given vent to his anger for some time, and had considered
the matter a little, he found that all his threats amounted to nothing.
Yet he sent for me, and asked me, in a tone of reproach, why I had not
defended the possession of the provisions more effectually? I replied,
"That he should have despatched a small detachment to meet me on the
road," although, added I, "if your excellency had formed one of the
guard yourself it would have been of no avail, for hunger knows no law."

When he saw that there was no remedy, and that extreme distress alone
had induced the men to act thus he became quite friendly again, and
praised me in the most flattering terms. Gonzalo de Sandoval happened to
be present when he was thus kindly addressing me, and I still well
remember how Cortes said to me, "O! senor Bernal Diaz del Castillo, for
the love you bear me, if you have concealed any provisions on the road
do, I beg of you, let me share them with you! You cannot certainly have
forgotten to stow some part away for yourself and your friend Sandoval!"

The tone in which he said this went to my very heart; besides that,
Sandoval exclaimed, at the same moment, "I declare to Heavens I should
feel grateful for a mere handful of maise to roast on the fire for my
supper!"

Well, said I, when all is quiet and the whole of the troops have retired
to rest, we will steal out in the depth of night and repair to the next
village, where the inhabitants have put by for me twelve loads of maise,
twenty fowls, three jars of honey, some salt, and have presented me
besides with two females to bake my bread. We must use