ents he had given them, boldly refused to obey him, and he could
only succeed in quieting them by promising that they should accompany
him to Mexico, when he would bestow honorable appointments on them all.

He then desired Diego de Godoy, whom he had appointed commandant of
Puerto de Caballos, to repair to Naco with those of the inhabitants, who
were suffering from ill health, and unable to live any longer in the
former place, on account of the innumerable swarms of moschitoes and
flies. The rest of us, under command of Luis Marin, were to take our
route overland to Mexico, and, if possible, to march through the
province of Nicaragua, the government of which our general meant to
petition his majesty to join to that of New Spain.

We then took leave of Cortes, just as he was about embarking for Mexico,
and we marched in a direct line for Naco, in the best spirits, because
we were now on our return to New Spain. After suffering a great deal of
fatigue and hunger, we arrived safely in Naco, to the great joy of
Sandoval. Pedro de Garro had already left, with the whole of his men for
Nicaragua, to inform his captain, Francisco Hernandez, of the
arrangements he had made with Sandoval; neither did we lose a moment's
time, but broke up our quarters for Mexico the morning after we arrived
in Naco.

I will not tire the reader by relating to him what happened to us on
this long march, but rather acquaint him with the unfortunate end of
Francisco Hernandez.

CHAPTER CLXXXVI.

_How Pedro Arias de Avila is apprized by two of his confidants that
Francisco Hernandez was in close correspondence with Cortes, and
about to declare his independence of him; the steps which Arias took
upon this._

Among the troops under Francisco Hernandez there were two soldiers,
named Garavita and Zamorano, who were close adherents to Pedro Arias,
the governor of Terra Firma. When these men saw the presents which
Cortes had sent to Hernandez, and observed how the latter held secret
conferences with Garro and other of his officers, they suspected that
Hernandez designed giving Cortes possession of the province of
Nicaragua. They consequently hastened off to communicate their
suspicions to Arias. Garavita, in particular, evinced a considerable
degree of zeal in this matter, for he had an old spite against our
general; namely, when they were both young men, and living at St.
Domingo, they came to blows about some woman, and Gara