The adventures of Hernan Cortes, the conqueror of Mexico

by Francis L. Hawks

About this time, Garay, the Governor of Jamaica, set sail, with a large body of followers, for the reduction of Panuco. At Cuba he heard of the great exploits of Cortes, and that this province was subdued by him. Having, however, his commission from the Bishop of Burgos, he hoped to negotiate with Cortes, and assume the command: and therefore continued his voyage. The weather driving him into the river Palmas, he landed his men, and determined to march into Panuco. Upon reaching that place, he found that the soldiers of Cortes had possession; his own soldiers began to join them, and he saw that his adventure was an idle one. Vallejo, who commanded the settlement of San Estevan, had sent notice of his arrival to Cortes; and Alvarado, Sandoval, and Father Olmedo, were sent to Panuco, with commands for Garay to leave the country. But Garay’s position was hardly that of an opponent; a large number of his men had deserted him, and he was forced to request Cortes to aid him in making them return to their duty. They were soon on terms of peace; and, at the suggestion of Father Olmedo, the Governor’s son was married to Doña Catalina, the daughter of Cortes.

The expedition of Garay, however, gave trouble in another way. His soldiers went to wandering through the country, insulting and robbing the natives, until at last they became exasperated and determined upon revenge. So completely did they carry out their design, that in a little time it is said they killed, sacrificed, and devoured five hundred of the soldiers of Garay. Not satisfied with this, they went so far as to destroy every Spaniard whom they could find straggling, and at length took up arms for the destruction of the colony of San Estevan. Vallejo and many of his companions were killed in defending themselves, and forty Spaniards belonging to that settlement were seized and burnt in one night. Cortes immediately despatched Sandoval, with a strong force, against the Panuchese. That officer soon subdued them, making the Caciques and most of the guilty men his prisoners. Upon sending to Cortes to know what should be done with them, a message was returned that Diego de Ocampo, the magistrate, should look into the matter, and punish the guilty, while at the same time he should use all proper means to conciliate the natives. Many of the Caciques confessed their guilt, while others were proved to be guilty; and these were all either burnt or hanged. A number received a free pardon; and, that no such difficulty might occur again, the soldiers of Garay were collected and sent back to Cuba.

Cortes now turned again to the work of improvement and discovery. News having reached him that in the districts of Higueras and Honduras there were extensive and valuable mines: in fact, that gold was so plenty there, that the weights on the fishermen’s nets were made of it—and, moreover, that a passage might there be discovered into the Pacific ocean—he determined to send an expedition into that region. Accordingly, he fitted out six ships, and gathering three hundred and seventy soldiers, gave the command to Christoval de Olid, with orders to proceed to Cuba, procure all necessary supplies, and thence to pursue his voyage to Higueras and make a settlement.

Troubles were still gathering for Cortes in Spain. His enemies were still active against him; the tax-gatherers who had been sent out by the King envied him his palace and his authority over the new kingdom. Private hatred, too, was in the hearts of some. One of his men (Rodrigo de Albornoz) had ambitiously desired to marry the daughter of the Prince of Tezcuco, and Cortes had opposed it. The man remembered this with a bitter feeling. Heavy accusations against Cortes had been sent to Spain. He was charged with laying heavy taxes upon the people, fortifying castles for his own use, and in every way preparing to make himself a king. The Bishop of Burgos and Narvaez urged these accusations warmly before the King, while, as formerly, the Duke of Bejar used his influence against them; the King was wavering and undecided. At length, in an effort to please both parties, he determined that the conduct of Cortes should be investigated. Ponce de Leon was therefore despatched to Mexico, with powers to seize the Governor if he should think it necessary, and send him under a strong guard to Spain.

Difficulties at home, too, again annoyed him. Olid, upon his arrival at Cuba, tempted by Velasquez, had proved a traitor to his general. Proceeding to Higueras, he had planted the colony of the Triumph of the Cross, and declared himself independent of Cortes. The Spanish leader was greatly grieved over this treason. Olid had shared with him his trials and his triumphs; and yet it was necessary to punish him, as an example to the rest of his countrymen. An expedition, under the command of Francisco Las Casas, was immediately sent against him. The vessel was unfortunately driven ashore by a storm; some of the men perished, others were made prisoners by Olid—among the rest, Las Casas. Upon being set free, however, he persuaded the soldiers of Olid to return to their duty, and seize their traitorous leader. Olid was arrested, shortly afterward sentenced to die, and beheaded.

Anxious to stop this treason, and not hearing promptly from Las Casas, Cortes had gathered his forces for a start. With a large body of Spaniards, and three thousand Mexicans, headed by their chiefs, all under the command of himself and Sandoval, he set out by land for that region. After passing Coatzacuales,[20] where he was received with fire-works and every demonstration of joy, his march was perhaps as perilous and trying as any adventure of his life. It lay through a wild and uninhabited country, intersected by rivers, and covered with tangled forests, which completely shut out the light of day. They were forced to construct bridges for passing the streams, and to cut their way through the thick woods that surrounded them. Starvation and disease followed in their track; they ate such roots and berries as they could find: multitudes perished. At one time Cortes was compelled to punish his soldiers for seizing and devouring some of the natives. With an undying perseverance he pushed his way on, and at length reached the region for which he had started, only to find that all was in submission. Las Casas had faithfully carried out his orders.

In the mean time, Ponce de Leon had arrived in the country, but died before he was able to execute the King’s commands. The enemies of Cortes, however, were still alive and active; every agent sent out by the King acted as a spy upon the leader; every vessel that sailed from the New World carried home false accusations against him. The Bishop of Burgos still plead with the King. At last his suspicions were aroused; he became jealous of the growing fame and power of Cortes, and issued a commission to “investigate his conduct, and subject him to all the rigors of justice.”

Mortified at the triumph of his enemies, the spirit of Cortes was still unbroken. His old veterans now rallied around him, and proposed that he should declare himself independent of the King, swearing that they would maintain his cause at all hazards. This he was unwilling to do; yet his proud spirit revolted at the thought of being subjected to a trial in that country which he had conquered and ruled. He determined to present himself boldly before the King, and explain his whole conduct. Attended by his brave officers and the principal chiefs of the Mexicans, and carrying a large part of his riches to give splendor to his appearance, Cortes repaired to Spain. He had scarcely reached that country, when he met with a heavy sorrow. The gallant Sandoval, one of his attendants, died in Andalusia, on his way to the Spanish capital, and Cortes mourned for him as his noblest soldier and most devoted friend. At this moment, when friends were needed, his sorrow was felt most keenly. Arrived at the Spanish court, the King received him with every mark of friendship. Cortes was now in his native land, where his power was limited, and the jealousy of the monarch was for a little time forgotten. Attentions were liberally bestowed upon the conqueror. His exploits were loudly talked of; he was admitted to an intimacy with the King as great as that of the first grandees of the land, and received from him the Order of Santiago, and the title of Marquess of the Valle de Oaxaca. Yet for all this he could not obtain from him his former position as Captain-General of New Spain. Empty titles he could give him, but this embraced too much power, and the King held to his determination not to bestow it. For two years Cortes continued at the court, while the superior merit of the conqueror, and the strong attachment of his men, only fastened the King in his first conclusion. In the New World he might have the military command, with the privilege of making new discoveries and conquests; the government of that country was given to a board of officers, to be known as the Audience of New Spain.[21] Wearied and disgusted, at length, in 1530, he left the kingdom and returned to Mexico.

Here, again, he was in the midst of disappointments. The Audiencia, jealous of his power, watched his every movement, while every plan proposed by him met with their decided opposition. Backed as they were by the King and his ministers in Spain, it was idle for him to oppose them. Wearied with the little meanness of these men, his thoughts turned again to the pursuits of his early life; he determined to embark in new discoveries and exploits. He had in his mind the thought that a passage might be found between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans (or the North and South seas, as they were then called) somewhere on the eastern coast of North America, or through the isthmus of Panama. Accordingly, he fitted out expeditions to attempt these discoveries, and intrusted the command to able pilots. They were, of course, unsuccessful in finding what they searched for. Disappointed in this, he now sent out various armaments from the western shores of the Mexican empire, to make discoveries in the South sea. The first, under the command of Mendoza and Mazuela, was unsuccessful. A second, in charge of Becerra, was fortunate enough to reach the southern extremity of the rich peninsula of California; but a mutiny arising among the men, destroyed the hope of further discovery. With an untiring energy, Cortes now made ready another expedition, and took the command himself. Storms and hardships beset him in his voyage; yet, with a desperate resolution, he pressed on, reached the region discovered by Becerra,[22] and planted the colony of La Santa Cruz. He now returned to Mexico to procure supplies. Here difficulties again beset him, and he thought it prudent to send for his followers in the new colony and bring them home, to save them from starvation. Still resolute, however, as soon as he was able to do so he sent out another expedition, under Francisco de Ulloa. This likewise proved unfortunate. In these unprofitable enterprises it is said he spent no less than three hundred thousand crowns.

His losses, together with the continued jealousies of the Audiencia, now prompted him again to return to his native country, in the hope of finding redress. Accordingly, in 1540, he sailed homeward. Upon his arrival, he found his reception very different from what it had been before. He was now known as a disappointed adventurer. Pizarro and Almagro had been making brilliant discoveries in Peru, and all thoughts were turned toward them. He was now not so much to be dreaded by the King. He treated him neither as a friend nor an enemy—worse than either, with a cold indifference. The ministers carried themselves toward him with actual scorn. Strange as it may seem, this was the treatment which the conqueror of Mexico received in his native land!