ment of Cuba, independent of the admiral, fitted out four ships for the voyage at his own expense. In these embarked two hundred and forty volunteers, among whom were several persons of rank and fortune.

304. The command was given to Juan de Grijalva, a young officer of distinguished merit and courage. He sailed from Cuba on the 8th of April, 1518: they held the same course as in the former voyage; but the violence of the currents carried them farther south. The first land they made was the island of Gozumel, to the east of Yucatan: and without any remarkable occurrence, they reached Potonchan on the opposite side side of the Peninsula. The desire of revenging their countrymen who were slain there, as well as policy, made them eager to land. But though they embarked all their troops, as well as some field-pieces, the Indians fought with such courage, that the Spaniards gained the victory with difficulty.

305. From Potonchan they continued their voyage towards the west, keeping near the shore. During the day their eyes were constantly turned towards the land, with a mixture of surprise and wonder at the beauty of the country, and the novelty of the objects they beheld. Many villages were scattered along the coast, in which they could distinguish houses of stone that appeared white and lofty at a distance; one of the soldiers remarked that this country resembled Spain at a distance. Gri. jalva, with universal applause, called it NEW SPAIN, the name which till lately distinguished this opulent province.

306. On the nineteenth of June they landed at a river which the natives called Tabasco, and the fame of their victory at Potonchan having reached this place, the cazique received them amicably, and bestowed presents upon them of such value as inspired them with great ideas of the wealth and fertility of the country. These ideas were confirmed at the next place at which they touched: this was to the west of Tabasco, in the province now known by the name of Guaxaca. They were received with the respect paid to superior beings: the people perfuming them as they landed with incense of gum copal, and offering them the choicest delicacies of their country; and, in six days, the Spaniards obtained ornaments of gold of curious workmanship, to the value of fifteen thousand dollars, in exchange for European toys of small value.

307. As the Spaniards could not understand the language of the natives, they learned from them, by signs, that they were the subjects of a great monarch called Montezuma, whose dominion extended over that and many other provinces.

308. Leaving this place, they landed on a small island, which they called the Isle of Sacrificios; because there they beheld, for the first time, human victims which the natives had offered to their gods. Some of the officers contended that it was requisite to establish a colony in the country they had discovered. Grijalva judged it more prudent to return to Cuba. This was the most successful voyage the Spaniards had hitherto made in the New World.

309. Velasquez had been informed of the success of the enterprise, by an officer dispatched for that purpose, by Grijalva, who immediately sent an account to Spain of the success of the voyage; and without waiting for the orders of his sovereign, he prepared for another expedition. This terminated in conquests of greater moment than any they had hitherto achieved, When Grijalva returned to Cuba, he found an armament in readiness to attempt the conquest of that country, which he had discovered. Ambition and avarice urged Velasquez to hasten his preparations; and the alluring prospect of gratifying both, made him cheerfully advance considerable sums from his private fortune, to defray the expense. Soldiers eager to embark in any daring enterprise soon appeared. The difficulty lay in finding a person fit to take the command.

310. Velasquez was solicitous to choose an intrepid commander, and one who possessed superior abilities; but at the same time, from a jealousy natural to little minds, he wished him to be so tame and obsequious as to be entirely dependent upon his will. But he was soon convinced that it was impossible to unite such incompatible qualities in one person. Those who were conspicuous for courage, were too high-spirited to be his passive tools; and those who appeared gentle and tractable, were deficient in the necessary qualifications requisite for such an undertaking. He deliberated long, and still continued irresolute until Amado de Lares, the royal treasurer in Cuba, and Andrew Duero, his own secretary, in whom he placed great confidence, proposed Fernando Cortes, and supported their recommendation with such address and assiduity as proved successful.

CHAPTER VI.

CORTES ACCOMPANIES VELASQUEZ TO CUBA.-HE INVADES MEXICO.CHARACTER OF MONTEZUMA-HE MEETS CORTES. PRISONER.CORTES GETS POSSESSION OF

HE IS MADE

MEXICO.

311. Ferdinand Cortes was born at Medellin, a small town in Estremadura, in the year 1485, and descended from a noble family; but of very moderate fortune. He was sent by his parents to the university of Salamanca, where he made some progress in learning. An academic life not suiting his ardent and restless genius, he retired to Medellin, where he gave himself up entirely to active sports, and martial exercises. At this period of his life, he was so impetuous and overbearing, and so dissipated, that his father was glad to comply with his inclination, and sent him abroad as an adventurer in arms.

312. The Spanish youth who courted military glory, had an opportunity to display their valor, either in Italy, under the command of the Great Captain, or in the New World. Cortes preferred the former, but was prevented by indisposition from embarking with a reinforcement of troops sent to Naples. Then he turned his views towards America, where he hoped to advance himself under the patronage of Ovando, who was at that time governor of Hispaniola, and his kinsman. His reception was such as equalled his most sanguine hopes; and the governor employed him in several honorable and lucrative sta

tions.

313. But his ambition was not to be satisfied with the moderate means of acquiring wealth or fame. It was in the stormy and active scenes of a military life, that he wished to distinguish himself. With this view, he requested permission to accompany Velasquez in his expedition to Cuba. In this service he acquitted himself so well, that notwithstanding some violent contests, occasioned by trivial causes, with Velasquez, he was at length taken into favor, and received an ample share of lands and Indians.

$14. Though Cortes had not hitherto acted in high command, he had displayed such abilities in scenes of difficulty and danger, as raised universal expectation, and turned the eyes of his countrymen towards him, as one capable of executing great designs. The turbulence of youth, as soon as he found objects suited to the ardor of his mind, gradually subsided into a regular habit of indefatigable activity. The im

petuosity of his temper, when he came to act with his equals, abated, and mellowed into a cordial soldierly frankness. These qualities were accompanied with calm prudence in concerting his schemes, and with persevering vigor in executing them; and what is peculiar to superior genius, the art of gaining the confidence, and governing the minds, of men. To all which was added a graceful person, an insinuating address, alertness in martial exercises, and a vigorous constitution, capable of enduring the greatest fatigue.

315. As soon as Cortes was mentioned to Velasquez by his two confidants, he flattered himself that he had found a man with talents for command, but not an object of jealousy. He concluded that his rank and fortune were not sufficient to inspire him with the hopes of independence. He had conferred several favors upon Cortes; and by this new and unexpected mark of confidence, Velasquez hoped to attach him for ever to his interests.

316. Cortes received his commission with the warmest expression of respect and gratitude to the governor, and immediately erected his standard before his own house, and assumed all the ensigns of his new dignity. He persuaded many of his friends to engage in the service, and to urge forward the preparations for the voyage. He mortgaged all his lands and Indians to procure money, which he expended in purchasing military stores and provisions, or in supplying such of his officers as were unable to equip themselves in a manner suited to their rank.

317. Inoffensive and laudable as this conduct was, his disappointed competitors were so malicious as to give it a turn to his disadvantage: they accused him of aiming, with little disguise, to establish an independent authority over his troops, and endeavoring to secure their respect and love, by an ostentatious display of his liberality. They reminded Velasquez of his former dissensions with the man in whom he now reposed so much confidence; and predicted that Cortes would avail himself of the power which he was putting into his hands to avenge past injuries, rather than to requite late obligations. These insinuations made a powerful impression on the jealous mind of Velasquez.

318. Cortes soon observed a growing alienation and distrust in his behavior, and was advised by his friends, Lares and Duero, to hasten his departure, before these should become so confirmed as to break out into open violence. Cortes, sensible of the danger, hastened his preparations with such rapidity,

that he set sail from St. Jago de Cuba on the eighteenth of November, 1519; Velasquez accompanied him to the shore, and took leave of him with apparent friendship, though he had secretly given orders to some of his officers, to have a watchful eye upon every part of their commander's conduct.

319. Cortes proceeded to Trinidad, a small settlement on the same side of the island, where he was joined by several adventurers, and received a further supply of provisions and stores. He had hardly left St. Jago, when the jealousy of Velasquez grew so violent as to be impossible for him to suppress it. Imagination now exaggerated every circumstance which had before excited suspicion: his rivals, by their suggestions, increased his fears, and called superstition to their aid, employ. ing the predictions of an astrologer to complete their designs. All these united, produced the desired effect.

320. Velasquez repented bitterly of his own imprudence, in committing a trust of such importance to a person, in whose fidelity he could no longer trust; and hastily dispatched instructions to Trinidad, empowering Verdugo, the chief magistrate there, to deprive Cortes of his commission. But Cortes, secure in the esteem and confidence of his troops, finding they were zealous to support his authority; he, by soothing or intimidating Verdugo, was permitted to depart from Trinidad without molestation, and sailed for the Havana, in order to raise more soldiers and complete the victualling of his fleet. There several persons of distinction entered into his service, and engaged to supply what provisions were wanting.

321. While these things were in preparation, Velasquez suffered his fears of Cortes to increase; and, in a period of jealousy, made one more attempt to wrest the command from the man in whom he had placed so much confidence. He, there fore, sent a person to the Havana, with peremptory injunctions to Pedro Barba, his lieutenant-governor in that colony, instantly to arrest Cortes, send him prisoner to St. Jago, under a strong guard; and to countermand the departure of the armament until he should receive further orders.

322. He also wrote to the principal officers, requiring them to assist Barba in executing what he had given him in charge. Fortunately for Cortes, a Franciscan friar of St. Jago had se cretly conveyed an account of this interesting intelligence to Bartholomew de Olmedo, a monk of the same order, and who acted as chaplain to the expedition. This gave Cortes time to take precautions for his safety. He found some pretext to re.