PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR.
I, BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO, regidor of the loyal city of Guatemala, while composing this most true history of the conquest of Mexico, happened to see a work by Francisco Lopez de Gomara on the same subject, the elegance of which made me ashamed of the vulgarity of my own, and caused me to throw away my pen in despair. After having read it, however, I found it full of misrepresentations of the events, having exaggerated the number of natives which we killed in the different battles, in a manner so extraordinary as to be altogether unworthy of credit. Our force seldom much exceeded four hundred men, and even if we had found the multitudes he speaks of bound hand and foot, we had not been able to put so many to death. In fact we were often greatly at a loss to protect ourselves, and were daily reduced to pray to God for deliverance from the many perils which environed us on every side. Alaric and Atilla, those great conquerors, did not slay such numbers of their enemies as Gomara pretends we did in New Spain. He alleges that we burned many cities and temples, forgetting that any of us, the true conquerors, were still alive to contradict his assertions. He often magnifies the merit of one officer at the expence of another, and even speaks of the exploits of some captains who were not engaged in the expedition. He pretends that Cortes gave secret orders for the destruction of our ships; whereas this was done by the common consent of us all, that we might add the seamen to our small military force. He most unjustly depreciates the character of Juan de Grijalva, who was a very valiant commander. He omits the discovery of Yucutan by Hernandez de Cordova. He erroneously supposes Garay to have been actually in the expedition which he fitted out. His account of the defeat of Narvaez is sufficiently accurate; but that which he gives of the war of Tlascala is exceedingly erroneous. He treats the war in Mexico as a matter of little importance, though we there lost above 870 of our soldiers. He makes no mention of our loss during the memorable siege of that city, but treats of it as of a festival or a marriage pageant.
It is needless to enlarge on his numerous errors in this place. I shall therefore proceed to my own narrative, ever mindful that the beauty of historical composition is truth, and shall carefully relate the conquest of New Spain, recording the heroic services of us the true conquerors; who, though few in number, gained this rich country to his majesty through many dangers and infinite hardships, under the guidance of the brave and adventurous captain, HERNANDO CORTES; using in my work such ornament and embellishment of language as may seem proper to the occasion. For these great services, his majesty has often issued orders that we should be amply rewarded, but his orders have not hitherto been obeyed. My narrative will afford sufficient materials for future historians to celebrate the fame of our general, Cortes, and the merits of those brave conquerors by whom this great and holy enterprise was achieved. This is not a history of ancient nations, made up of vain reveries, and idle hearsays, but contains a true relation of events of which I was an actor and an eye-witness. Gomara received and wrote such accounts of these events as tended to enhance the fame and merit of Cortes exclusively, neglecting to make mention of our valiant captains and brave soldiers; and the whole tenor of his work shews his partiality to that family, by which he is patronized. By him also the doctor Illescas, and the bishop Paulus Jovius have been misled in the works which they have published. But in the course of this history, as a vigilant pilot proceeds cautiously among shoals and quicksands by the help of the line, so I, in my progress to the haven of truth, shall expose the errors and misrepresentations of Gomara: Yet if I were to point out every error he has committed, the chaff would much exceed the grain.
I have brought this history to a conclusion, in the loyal city of Guatimala, the residence of the royal audience, this 26th of February 1572.
SECTION I.
Expedition of Hernandez de Cordova, in 1517.
I left Castille in the year 1514, along with Pedro Arias de Avila, then appointed to the government of Tierra Firma, and arrived with him at Nombre de Dios. A pestilence raged in the colony at our arrival, of which many of the soldiers died, and most of the survivors were invalids. De Avila gave his daughter in marriage to a gentleman named Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who had conquered that province; but becoming afterwards suspicious that Balboa intended to revolt, he caused him to be beheaded. As troubles were likely to take place in this colony, several of us who were men of good families, asked permission from Avila to go over to Cuba, which had been lately settled under the government of Diego Velasquez. He readily granted this request, as he had brought more soldiers from Spain than were needed in his province, which was already subdued. We went accordingly to Cuba, where we were kindly received by Velasquez, who promised to give us the first lands that fell vacant; but, after waiting three years, reckoning from the time of leaving Spain, and no settlements offering, an hundred and ten of us chose Francisco Hernandez de Cordova for our captain, a wealthy gentleman of Cuba, and determined to go on a voyage of discovery under his command. For this purpose, we bought two vessels of considerable burthen, and procured a bark on credit from Velasquez, who proposed as a condition, that we should make a descent on the islands called Los Guanages, between Cuba and Honduras, to seize a number of the inhabitants as slaves, in order by their sale to repay the expence of the bark: But when this proposal was made known to the soldiers, we unanimously refused, as it was unjust, and neither permitted by God nor the king to make slaves of freemen. Velasquez assented to the justice of our objections, and gave us all the assistance in his power in regard to provisions. We accordingly laid in a store of hogs at three crowns each, there being no oxen or sheep at that time in Cuba, and a quantity of cassava bread, as flour was not to be had for biscuits. With these sorry provisions, and some trifling toys and ornaments to barter with the Indians, we assembled at a port named Agaruco, on the north side of Cuba, eight leagues from the town of St Christopher, the inhabitants of which removed two years afterwards to the Havanna. Our chief pilot was Antonio de Alaminos of Palos, and two others named Comacho de Triana, and Juan Alvarez. We got also a priest, named Alonso Gonzales to go with the expedition; and appointed a soldier named Bernardino Iniguez as veedor, to take care of his majesties rights in case of procuring any gold during the voyage.
Having provided ourselves in necessaries as well as we could, and recommended ourselves to God and the Holy Virgin, we sailed from the port of Agaruco on the 8th of February 1517. In twelve days we passed Cape St Antonio in the land of a tribe of savages called Guanatareyes, after which we sailed to the westwards at random, being entirely ignorant of the shallows, currents, or prevailing, winds in these seas. We were in most imminent danger during our voyage for two days and two nights in a violent storm; but the wind subsided, and in twenty-one days after leaving Cuba, we came to a coast which had never been before discovered. On nearing the shore, we saw a large town about two leagues inland, which we named Grand Cairo, as it exceeded any of the towns in Cuba. Our bark was sent forwards to examine the coast. Five canoes came off to us on the morning of the 4th March. These boats of the Indians resemble troughs, being hollowed out of a single trunk of a tree, and many of them are large enough to contain fifty men. We invited the people by signs to come on board, and above thirty of them came aboard Cordovas ship without shewing the smallest apprehension, where they were treated with such provisions as we had, and each of them received a string of green glass beads. Having examined the vessels with much admiration, they went to the shore, promising by signs to return next day with a greater number of canoes, in order to bring us all on shore. All these Indians had close cotton dresses, having a narrow cloth round their waists, being more decent than the natives of Cuba, where the women only use this piece of dress. Next day the same chief came off with twelve large canoes, inviting our captain to go on shore, repeating frequently con-escotoch, con-escotoch, which we understood to mean, come to our town, and from this circumstance we named the place Punta de Cotoche. We resolved to accept the invitation, but using the precaution to go in a body at one embarkation, as we saw many Indians on shore. We therefore hoisted out our own boats, and in them and the canoes and our own small bark, we proceeded to the land. After landing, we halted to consider what we should do, and as the cacique still urged us by signs to accompany him, we marched on in good order, fifteen of our men being armed with cross-bows and ten with muskets. As we were passing some thick woods, the cacique suddenly called aloud to a body of Indians which he had posted there in ambush, who immediately sallied out, pouring in a flight of arrows, by which fifteen of our soldiers were wounded. These Indians wore thick coats of quilted cotton, and besides their bows and arrows, were armed with lances, shields, and slings, and had their heads ornamented with feathers. After discharging their arrows they advanced to attack us with their lances; but our sharp swords, and the repeated discharges of our muskets and cross-bows, soon drove them to a distance, leaving fifteen of their men dead on the field. We took likewise two prisoners, who were afterwards baptized by the names of Julian and Melchior, and became useful as interpreters. On our return to the shore, we had the pleasure to find that Gonzales had taken care of the chests we had brought to land with articles for barter, as he had taken them off to the ships, with the assistance of two natives of Cuba. Near the place of the engagement, there were three buildings of stone and lime, in which were several idols of clay in strange unnatural postures, with diabolical countenances, and several wooden chests containing smaller idols, some vessels, three diadems, and several figures of birds and fish, all of inferior gold.
Having reimbarked, we proceeded along shore as formerly, coasting to the west. After fifteen days sailing with great caution along an unknown coast, we got sight of a large town near an inlet or creek, which had the appearance of being the mouth of a river. We named this place St Lazarus, because discovered on the Sunday of that saint; and we determined to attempt procuring water at this place, being in much want, as our casks were bad, not having sufficient means to purchase proper vessels at Cuba. As the ebb-tide left an extensive shallow, we left our two large ships a league from shore, and went well armed in our bark and the boats, to a place from which the town was supplied with water; as so far as we could discover this country has no running streams. Just as we had filled our casks, about fifty Indians, dressed in cotton mantles, came towards us, who all appeared to be chiefs. They inquired by signs what we wanted; and we answered in the same manner, that we came for water, and were now returning to our ships. They then pointed to the eastwards, as if asking if we came from thence, frequently repeating the word Castillano. After this, they invited us to their town, to which we accordingly went, and came to some large and well-constructed temples, built of stone and lime, having the figures of idols and serpents painted on the walls. On entering one of these temples, we could plainly perceive the traces of fresh spilt blood on one of the altars. We saw likewise several strange idolatrous figures and symbolical paintings, altogether impressing us with horror and astonishment. All this while the natives behaved peaceably, but collected in great numbers, apparently from curiosity, yet we stood upon our guard, remembering how we had been treated at the former place. A body of the natives made their appearance, in very ragged dresses, each of whom carried a bundle of dry reeds, which they laid in a heap, and then retired. Soon afterwards came two bodies of warriors, dressed and armed like those at the former place, each headed by a chief or captain, who drew up at some distance from us. Immediately after this, ten priests rushed out from a neighbouring temple. These men wore loose robes of white cotton, having their long hair clotted with blood, and all matted and twisted together. They bore vessels in their hands containing fire and aromatics, with which they fumigated us, and made us to understand by signs, that they would put us to death if we did not quit their country before the fuel lying by us was consumed, which they now kindled and retired. The warriors who were drawn up opposite us, began to make a noise, beating their drums, sounding their horns, and whistling with great violence. Seeing these threatening preparations, we deemed it prudent to retreat to our boats, on board of which our water-casks had been already embarked, and returning to our ships we proceeded on our voyage.
We coasted along for six days, during which time we had a violent storm from the north, by which we were in great danger of being driven on shore. We suffered much also from want of water, owing to the insufficiency of our casks, and were often obliged to go on shore to sink wells for our daily supply. At the end of six days, we came opposite a town about a league from the shore, to which we determined to go, and came to anchor therefore as near as we could. The name of this town was Pontonchon, in which we could see several buildings of stone and lime, and it appeared to be surrounded with fields of maize. We landed, and having found a spring of water, we immediately began to fill our casks. While busied in this necessary employment, several large bodies of warriors approached us in silence. These men had their bodies covered to their knees with defensive armour of cotton; their faces were painted black, white, and red, and their heads were ornamented with plumes of feathers. Besides bows, arrows, and slings, they had shields and two-handed swords. These people addressed us in the same manner with those of Campechy, pointing to the east, and repeating Castillano, Castillano; to which we replied by signs that we came from the east, yet were much at a loss to know the intention of this inquiry, and whether to understand it favourable or otherwise. Meaning to remain on shore for the night, we formed ourselves in a compact body, with sentinels on every side, and consulted together as to our farther proceedings. We heard at this time a great noise among the Indians, which we suspected to threaten us with evil; and some of us proposed to embark, which was considered as too dangerous in the face of the enemy, while others were for making an immediate attack, on the old principle, that the assailant usually conquers; but the odds against us was at least 300 to one, and this council was rejected as too rash. Day at length broke, and gave us a view of our danger. Great bodies of warriors were seen advancing with their standards displayed to join those who had assembled on the preceding evening, and we soon found that we must exert our utmost efforts for our defence, putting our trust in the mercy of GOD to relieve us from our dangerous situation. The Indians surrounding us on every side, immediately attacked us hand to hand, and soon wounded ten of our men; but the execution made by our swords and fire-arms made them draw off to some distance, whence they plied their arrows to good effect. They continually called out, al calachioni, al calachioni, which we understood to mean, Aim at the captain, who was wounded by arrows in twelve different places. I also had three wounds, one of which in my left side, was very dangerous, and two of our men were carried off alive. Seeing all our exertions ineffectual, as the enemy continually received reinforcements, and above fifty of our number were already slain, Cordova gave orders to force our way through the enemy, which we effected in a compact body, the enemy keeping up a close pursuit, continually pouring in their arrows, and even attacking us with their spears. We at last reached our boats, which sunk in the hurry and pressure of our embarkation, and many of us had to endeavour to reach the bark, which came as near as possible to receive us, half wading and half swimming. In this last effort many of our soldiers were wounded, and it was with the utmost difficulty that any of us escaped. This disastrous action lasted half an hour, and on mustering our force after we got back to the ships, we found we had lost fifty-seven men. Our wounds soon became very painful, owing to the cold and the sea water, and we cursed Alaminos and his discoveries, who still persisted that this land was an island. We gave this bay the name of de Mala Prelea, or of the unlucky fight. One soldier only of those who escaped was unwounded, most of us having three or four wounds, and our captain twelve. Many of the sailors likewise were disabled; for which reason we set the smallest vessel on fire, distributing her crew to the others. Our greatest misfortune was that we had been forced to leave our casks behind, so that during the rest of the time we remained at sea we were reduced to inexpressible distress for want of water, our lips and tongues becoming full of cracks from intolerable thirst. Such are the cruel hardships attendant on voyages of discovery.