the brave conquistadores in
this great and holy expedition, their just measure of praise, I can at
least say that I have witnessed for the truth. These, indeed, are not
stories about strange countries, or dreams, or contradictory statements;
everything I relate, if I may so say, happened but yesterday, and the
whole of New Spain can test these representations, and judge how far
those are correct who have written on the same subject. I will relate
that of which I myself was an eyewitness, facts which I know to be true,
and will pay no attention to the contradictory statements of those who
merely write from hearsay, for truth is a sacred thing. I will therefore
say no more on this head, though I could, if I liked, say a good deal;
and merely add, that there are good grounds for believing that when
Gomara was writing his history, he had been deceived by false
information: with him, every circumstance is made to turn to the glory
and honour of Cortes, while no mention is made of the other brave
officers and soldiers; but, the partiality of this author is
sufficiently seen from the circumstance of his having dedicated his work
to the present Marquis del Valle, son of Cortes, and not to his majesty
the king. But, alas! these untruths and errors are not peculiar to
Francisco Lopez de Gomara, but have also been the means of leading many
other writers and historians who had followed his work into like error,
as for instance, Doctor Illescas and Paulo Jovio, who have exactly
copied Gomara's account, without adding or taking away a single word.
For all their blunders they are indebted to Gomara.

CHAPTER XIX.

_How another armament was fitted out for a voyage to the newly
discovered countries. The command of which was given to Hernando
Cortes, afterwards Marquis of the Vale of Oaxaca; also of the secret
cabals which were formed to deprive him of it._

Immediately after the return of Juan de Grijalva from our last voyage of
discovery, in the year 1518, Diego Velasquez issued orders for the
fitting-out of a more considerable armament than the foregoing. For this
purpose he had ten vessels lying in the harbour of Santiago de Cuba, at
his disposal. Among these were the four vessels in which we had just
returned with Grijalva, which had been immediately refitted and
careened. The six others had been collected from the different ports of
the island. The vessels were provided with sufficient provisions,
consist