hat he was going out to found
a colony, and now we hear that he was not empowered to do so, but was
merely sent out to barter for gold, and then to return to Cuba with all
we should make. If this takes place, we are altogether ruined men, and
Diego Velasquez will himself comfortably pocket the gold, and keep it,
as he has on previous occasions. Do but reflect, sir, that this is the
third expedition of the kind which you have accompanied, that you have
spent your whole in them, and undergone so many fatigues, risked your
life, and suffered from wounds, all for nothing. This we cannot allow.
We cavaliers are sufficient in number, your friends one and all, and we
must insist that Cortes founds a colony here, in the name of his
majesty; we must also find means to acquaint our sovereign immediately
with this. Promise that you also will be one of us. We have united to
elect Cortes our captain-general. It would, indeed, be rendering God and
our king a great service."

To all this I answered that I considered it equally inadvisable to
return to Cuba, and that I was quite ready to give my consent towards
electing Cortes captain-general and chief justice, until his imperial
majesty should have communicated his wishes to us on that point. As this
plan went round from one to another, the partisans of Diego Velasquez,
who were much more numerous than we, soon got wind of it, and boldly
asked Cortes what intrigues had been set on foot to form a colony here?
and why he should shirk from rendering the account which was due to him
by whom he had been appointed head of the expedition? Diego Velasquez
would certainly be ill pleased with such proceedings: we could not do
otherwise than re-embark: all his intrigues with the men were useless:
to found a colony, we were in want both of provisions, men, and
everything else to ensure success. Cortes, without showing the least
irritability, answered, that he was quite of their opinion, and had not
the remotest intention to act contrary to the instructions and wishes of
Diego Velasquez, and immediately issued orders that every one who had
come with him should repair on board by the next day.

As soon as we others, who had confederated, heard this, we declared to
Cortes that he was doing wrong in thus wishing to deceive us. At Cuba he
had publicly announced that he was going out to found a colony, and now
it appeared it was merely for the sake of trafficking. We begged of him,
for the sake of God