Work overview

Text 55 of 137

CHAPTER LIV.

The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 1 (of 2) Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain.

Bernal Díaz del Castillo · 2010

Contents

Text 55 of 137

  1. 01Front matter
  2. 02CHAPTER I.
  3. 03CHAPTER II.
  4. 04CHAPTER III.
  5. 05CHAPTER IV.
  6. 06CHAPTER V.
  7. 07CHAPTER VI.
  8. 08CHAPTER VII.
  9. 09CHAPTER VIII.
  10. 10CHAPTER IX.
  11. 11CHAPTER X.
  12. 12CHAPTER XI.
  13. 13CHAPTER XII.
  14. 14CHAPTER XIII.
  15. 15CHAPTER XIV.
  16. 16CHAPTER XV.
  17. 17CHAPTER XVI.
  18. 18CHAPTER XVII.
  19. 19CHAPTER XVIII.
  20. 20CHAPTER XIX.
  21. 21CHAPTER XX.
  22. 22CHAPTER XXI.
  23. 23CHAPTER XXII.
  24. 24CHAPTER XXIII.
  25. 25CHAPTER XXIV.
  26. 26CHAPTER XXV.
  27. 27CHAPTER XXVI.
  28. 28CHAPTER XXVII.
  29. 29CHAPTER XXVIII.
  30. 30CHAPTER XXIX.
  31. 31CHAPTER XXX.
  32. 32CHAPTER XXXI.
  33. 33CHAPTER XXXII.
  34. 34CHAPTER XXXIII.
  35. 35CHAPTER XXXIV.
  36. 36CHAPTER XXXV.
  37. 37CHAPTER XXXVI.
  38. 38CHAPTER XXXVII.
  39. 39CHAPTER XXXVIII.
  40. 40CHAPTER XXXIX.
  41. 41CHAPTER XL.
  42. 42CHAPTER XLI.
  43. 43CHAPTER XLII.
  44. 44CHAPTER XLIII.
  45. 45CHAPTER XLIV.
  46. 46CHAPTER XLV.
  47. 47CHAPTER XLVI.
  48. 48CHAPTER XLVII.
  49. 49CHAPTER XLVIII.
  50. 50CHAPTER XLIX.
  51. 51CHAPTER L.
  52. 52CHAPTER LI.
  53. 53CHAPTER LII.
  54. 54CHAPTER LIII.
  55. 55CHAPTER LIV.
  56. 56CHAPTER LV.
  57. 57CHAPTER LVI.
  58. 58CHAPTER LVII.
  59. 59CHAPTER LVIII.
  60. 60CHAPTER LIX.
  61. 61CHAPTER LX.
  62. 62CHAPTER LXI.
  63. 63CHAPTER LXII.
  64. 64CHAPTER LXIII.
  65. 65CHAPTER LXIV.
  66. 66CHAPTER LXV.
  67. 67CHAPTER LXVI.
  68. 68CHAPTER LXVII.
  69. 69CHAPTER LXVIII.
  70. 70CHAPTER LXIX.
  71. 71CHAPTER LXX.
  72. 72CHAPTER LXXI.
  73. 73CHAPTER LXXII.
  74. 74CHAPTER LXXIII.
  75. 75CHAPTER LXXIV.
  76. 76CHAPTER LXXV.
  77. 77CHAPTER LXXVI.
  78. 78CHAPTER LXXVII.
  79. 79CHAPTER LXXVIII.
  80. 80CHAPTER LXXIX.
  81. 81CHAPTER LXXX.
  82. 82CHAPTER LXXXI.
  83. 83CHAPTER LXXXII.
  84. 84CHAPTER LXXXIII.
  85. 85CHAPTER LXXXIV.
  86. 86CHAPTER LXXXV.
  87. 87CHAPTER LXXXVI.
  88. 88CHAPTER LXXXVII.
  89. 89CHAPTER LXXXVIII.
  90. 90CHAPTER LXXXIX.
  91. 91CHAPTER XC.
  92. 92CHAPTER XCI.
  93. 93CHAPTER XCII.
  94. 94CHAPTER XCIII.
  95. 95CHAPTER XCIV.
  96. 96CHAPTER XCV.
  97. 97CHAPTER XCVI.
  98. 98CHAPTER XCVII.
  99. 99CHAPTER XCVIII.
  100. 100CHAPTER XCIX.
  101. 101CHAPTER C.
  102. 102CHAPTER CI.
  103. 103CHAPTER CII.
  104. 104CHAPTER CIII.
  105. 105CHAPTER CIV.
  106. 106CHAPTER CV.
  107. 107CHAPTER CVI.
  108. 108CHAPTER CVII.
  109. 109CHAPTER CVIII.
  110. 110CHAPTER CIX.
  111. 111CHAPTER CX.
  112. 112CHAPTER CXI.
  113. 113CHAPTER CXII.
  114. 114CHAPTER CXIII.
  115. 115CHAPTER CXIV.
  116. 116CHAPTER CXV.
  117. 117CHAPTER CXVI.
  118. 118CHAPTER CXVII.
  119. 119CHAPTER CXVIII.
  120. 120CHAPTER CXIX.
  121. 121CHAPTER CXX.
  122. 122CHAPTER CXXI.
  123. 123CHAPTER CXXII.
  124. 124CHAPTER CXXIII.
  125. 125CHAPTER CXXIV.
  126. 126CHAPTER CXXV.
  127. 127CHAPTER CXXVI.
  128. 128CHAPTER CXXVII.
  129. 129CHAPTER CXXVIII.
  130. 130CHAPTER CXXIX.
  131. 131CHAPTER CXXX.
  132. 132CHAPTER CXXXI.
  133. 133CHAPTER CXXXII.
  134. 134CHAPTER CXXXIII.
  135. 135CHAPTER CXXXIV.
  136. 136CHAPTER CXXXV.
  137. 137CHAPTER CXXXVI.
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Text 55 of 137

CHAPTER LIV.

Bernal Díaz del Castillo · about 5 minutes

Original source ↗

CHAPTER LIV.

_Concerning the account of our adventures, with the letter, which we
sent his majesty the emperor, through Puertocarrero and Montejo, the
letter being attested by some officers and soldiers._

This account very properly opened with those distinguished marks of respect which were due to our great emperor and master. Then followed a complete account of our expedition, from the day of our departure from Cuba up to our arrival on the coast of Mexico, and the day the account was drawn up. We did not omit to state that we had merely been induced to join the expedition from a promise that we were going to found a colony, and how Diego Velasquez had given Cortes secret instructions merely to confine himself to the trade of barter. That Cortes, conformably to this, had indeed wished to return to Cuba with the gold we had made; that, however, we had compelled him to remain here and found a colony, for which purpose we had elected him captain-general and chief justice, until we should receive his most gracious majesty's pleasure on this head. We had, moreover, promised him a fifth part of all the gold that should remain after deducting the fifths for his majesty. We then mentioned the name of Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba, as the first discoverer of this country; the expedition which followed upon that under Juan de Grijalva; of our landing on the island of Cozumel, and of our fortunate discovery of Geronimo de Aguilar, and other things. We described our negotiations with the great Motecusuma, mentioning his power and riches, of which the things he had given us to present to his majesty, consisting in the sun of gold and moon of silver, and the casque of gold dust, as it is found in the mines, as also the other articles of solid and manufactured gold, were small proofs.

After this we spoke about the extent of the country, its population, the arts, customs, and religion of the inhabitants, of whom we sent four as a sample, whom we had liberated from a wooden cage at Sempoalla, where they were being fattened for a sacrificial feast. We then mentioned something about ourselves; how we were in all 450 armed men in the midst of so many warlike tribes; how our expedition had merely for its object to serve God and his majesty; and, in the position we were now placed, how much depended upon a man being at our head who was acquainted with the country, and in whom we could repose all trust. We most humbly begged of his majesty not to confer the command of this country upon any one of his officers; from its extent and vast riches, it was worthy of being ruled by a royal prince or some other great personage. We all feared that the archbishop Don Rodriguez de Fonseca, whom his majesty had intrusted with the government of Indian affairs, had destined the command to one of his own creatures, namely, a certain Diego Velasquez, who was then viceroy of Cuba; this favour, however, was entirely owing to the presents which the bishop received from Velasquez, consisting in the most valuable townships of his imperial domains wherever any gold was to be found. As his majesty's most humble and faithful servants, we could not neglect to bring this under his imperial notice, and we had resolved to wait until our agents had thrown themselves at his majesty's feet to hand over our letters, and his majesty should have acquainted them with his imperial wishes, which we, whatever they might be, would honour in the very dust. If the archbishop Fonseca in the meantime sent any one to take the command, we should not obey him until we had informed his majesty of it, wherever he might be. We begged of his majesty, for the present, to confer the command on Cortes. This prayer we accompanied by such high-flown praise of Cortes,--how faithful and devoted he was to his majesty; that we elevated him to the very skies. This closed the letter, which was drawn up with great discernment, and divided into chapters. This letter was signed by all the officers and soldiers who belonged to Cortes' party. We also took the precaution of keeping other copies.

After the letter was quite finished, Cortes desired to read it, and when he found how faithfully the account was drawn up, and himself so highly praised, he was vastly pleased, returned us hearty thanks, and promised us golden mountains. He, however, observed, that it would be better to make no allusion to the fifth part of the gold which we had promised him; also to suppress the names of the first discoverers of the country. Indeed, we subsequently learnt that Cortes, in his account, never mentioned a word either about Cordoba, or of Grijalva, but reserved all the honour and merit to himself.

Nevertheless the men were not wanting among us who answered the objections made by Cortes, saying it was our bounden duty to narrate every circumstance to his majesty as it had really taken place.

Our agents took charge of the letters, and were bound down by a promise not to touch at the Havannah under any pretence whatever, nor run into the harbour of El Marien, where Francisco de Montejo had possessions. This was done that Velasquez might receive no intelligence of our doings. They certainly promised, but neglected to observe these orders, as will be seen.

Everything being now ready for their departure, father Olmedo said mass, and we commended them to the guidance and protection of the Holy Ghost. On the 26th of July, 1519, they set sail from San Juan de Ulua, and arrived pretty soon at the Havannah. Here Francisco de Montejo left our chief pilot Alaminos no peace, persuading him to sail along the coast in the direction of his settlement, where he pretended he would take in a fresh supply of cassave-bread and bacon. Puertocarrero was greatly displeased with this conduct; however, the landing was effected. The night following a sailor swam secretly on shore, and forwarded Diego Velasquez letters from his adherents, giving him an account of all that had passed. We afterwards learnt that Montejo himself had sent this man, who, besides this, spread the news everywhere along the route he journeyed. We shall now see what steps Velasquez took upon this.