[XVII-5] Also written Oli, Olit, Olite, Dolid, Dolit. A hidalgo of Baeza. Oviedo, iii. 188. See chap. vi. vol. i., Hist. Mexico, this series.
[XVII-6] Bernal Diaz describes him as a well formed, strong-limbed man, with wide shoulders and a somewhat fair complexion. Despite the peculiarity of a groove in the lower lip, which gave it the appearance of being split, the face was most attractive. 'Era un Hector en el esfuerço, para combatir.' He was married to a Portuguese, Felipa de Araujo, by whom he had a daughter. Hist. Verdad., 176, 177, 240. Further references in chap. vi. vol. i., Hist. Mexico, this series.
[XVII-7] The lobes of his ears were shorn by captors, he said, of a fortress which he had aided too obstinately in defending. Bernal Diaz appears to doubt this explanation. Hist. Verdad., 176, 177.
[XVII-8] The agent, Alonso de Contreras, had received 8,000 pesos de oro for the purpose, in order that the expedition should not be hampered for want of means, nor be obliged to prey at once upon the natives. Oviedo, iii. 459. Cortés estimates the total cost of the expedition at over 50,000 ducats. Mem., in Doc. Inéd., iv. 227; Instruc., in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xiii. 5; Gastos, in id., xii. 386, with details of expenses. The purchases were made ere the presence of the fleet should raise prices at Habana, and yet a fanega of maize cost two pesos de oro, a sword eight pesos, a crossbow twenty, and a firelock one hundred; while a shipmaster received eight hundred pesos a month. Gomara, Hist. Mex., 243.
[XVII-9] 'Se habia confederado el tal Cristóbal Dolit con Diego Velazquez, y que iba con voluntad de no me obedecer, antes de le entregar la tierra al dicho Diego Velazquez y juntarse con él contra mi.' Cortés, Cartas, 337. 'Cõcertarõ ... q̃ entre él, y Christoval de Oli, tuviesen aquella tierra de Higueras ... y q̃ el Diego Velazquez le proveeria de lo q̃ huviesse menester.' Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 177; Oviedo, iii. 113; Gomara, Hist. Mex., 243.
[XVII-10] If not, he would return to Mexico to his wife and estates, and affirm before Cortés that his agreement with Velazquez was subterfuge on his part to obtain stores and men. Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 177.
[XVII-11] 'Con que començò a entender que se yua apartando de la obediencia de Cortés.' Herrera, dec. iii. lib. v. cap. xii.
[XVII-12] Juarros, Guat., 42-3. It was soon abandoned. See [chap. xvi., note 5, this volume].
[XVII-13] This according to Gomara, Hist. Mex., 269, and Cortés, Cartas, 467, who do not, however, clearly indicate that Valenzuela was one of Olid's officers. Informed of the wreck, by Casas probably, Cortés sent a vessel for them, which was also wrecked, on the Cuban coast. Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 208, alludes to this party as twenty-five men sent to kidnap Indians.
[XVII-14] 'Cum narium et venarum gutturis summo tumore præ ira, sæpe dedit de tanta animi perturbatione signa, neque a verbis id significantibus abstinuit.' Peter Martyr, dec. viii. cap. x.