CHAPTER VI
Transactions and
occurrences in Old and
Expedition against the Zapotecans.
IT appeared to us, the
most ancient, wise, and experienced conquerors of Mexico, that Cortes ought now
to consider duly who were his friends, and stood by him through the whole of
his difficulties and dangers, from the first, and to settle his accounts with
Pedro, with Sancho, and with Martin, according to
their deserts; which was to be done by recalling to him those who were low, and
poor, and unfortunate, and by placing them in good situations, according to
their deserts and his Majesty’s orders. All this Cortes was bound in duty to
do, as also to procure for us and our children all the good offices, and emoluments, that were to be had in this country of
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at our ease, not wandering about the world as is at present the case, and
falling from bad to worse; for many of us at this moment are without a morsel
of bread to eat, and God knows what will become of our children.
I will
now relate what Cortes did, and which I call a very unfair distribution. To the
Veedor Chirinos, the Factor
Salazar, J. de Ribera and all those who came from
There had
lately arrived certain officers of his Majesty from Old Castille, amongst whom
were Alonzo de Estrada the treasurer, Gonzalo de Salazar the factor, Rodrigo Albornos the contador, (Juan de Alderete being dead,) Pedro Almindes
Chirinos the Veedor, and
many others.
One
Rodrigo Rangel whom I have already mentioned, now came to Cortes, telling him
that he had hitherto acquired no fame in the wars, and wished to have a command
given him, wherewith to go and
conquer the Zapotecans who were in
rebellion, and to take with him Pedro de Ircio as his
private counsellor and director. Cortes knew very
well this man was not fit for any service, being a poor diseased miserable object,
from the effects of his sins; he therefore put him off, telling him that nation
was not easily to be conquered on account of the high rugged mountains which
they inhabit, and which are always covered with mills and clouds; as also that
cavalry could not be brought against them, on account of the bad and narrow
roads which it was necessary to climb like ladders, each soldier’s head at the
heels of his file leader. However at last Cortes agreed to the proposal of this
man who was a fellow of a very slanderous tongue, and one whom he would have
been glad to have got rid of in this way where he was likely to lose his life. The
general in consequence wrote to ten or twelve of us who were in Guacacualco, desiring that we should go with him, and I was
one of the number thus selected. These Indians are a
light and very active people, and when in the field have a way of whistling and
shouting, which makes the hills and woods resound again. Having this man with
us it was impossible to effect any thing, and as we advanced under a very heavy
rain, we came to a village of scattered houses, some being upon a ridge, and
others in the valley, Poor Rangel whined and complained all the way of the pain
of his limbs, to our great annoyance, knowing it was entirely useless trouble
and danger, and that the Indians who were so nimble would destroy us climbing
the rocks in one file, if they made a stand any where. It was at last agreed,
as Rangel grew worse and worse, to abandon the black expedition as we used to
call it, and return to our homes. His counsellor also
as he called him, Pedro de Ircio, was the first to
advice him to it, and letting the example by following his own advice, went
home to his town of
No sooner
had we arrived at this place then he took in his head to
go upon an expedition against the Indians of Cimaton
and Tatupatan, who were rebellious, for they thought
themselves secure amongst their great rivers and trembling marshes. They were
also formidable warriors, using very large and strong bows. Rangel however
produced his commission from Cortes, and we dare not but to obey and march with
him, to the number of one hundred horse and foot. We accordingly set out, and
arrived at a pals between the marshes and lakes, where the whole force of the
Indians was drawn up to receive us, having made circular barricades of very
gross timber, with spike holes to shoot through, and pallisadoes.
Here they gave u a hearty welcome with a flight of arrows and darts, killing
seven horses and wounding Rangel and eight soldiers. We had often told him what
stout warriors these Indians were, and as he was a prating fellow he now
exclaimed, by heaven, if he had believed us, he would not have been in that
jeopardy now, and that in future we the old conquerors of the country should be
his captains and not he ours. As loon as our wounded men and horses were
dressed, he begged I would go forward to reconoitre.
I took with me a very fierce greyhound which belonged to him, and selecting two
other soldiers for my comrades, desired the infantry to follow us close, and
for Rangel and the cavalry, that they should keep a good distance in the rear.
Pursuing our route towards Cimaton, we fell in with
another post fortified like the preceding one, and defended as strongly, from
whence we received a volley, which killed the dog, and wounded me and each of my
comrades. I received an arrow in my leg, and seven more remained in my cotton armour. I called immediately to some of our Indian allies
who were a little in rear of us, to go and bring up all the infantry, but to
order the cavalry not to advance, as all their horses would surely be killed.
When the infantry came up we attacked the barricades, and forced the Indians
from them, driving them to their marshes where it was impossible to follow them
a step, without danger of sinking and being smothered. We then advanced, and
halted at a village. On the next day we proceeded, and were encountered by a
large body of Indians, posted in a marsh. This was an instance of the address
of the natives, in chusing to meet us in the plain,
hoping that they could draw our
cavalry
to charge them, in expectation that galloping full speed they should run into
the marsh, and so it happened; for in spite of all we could say to Rangel of
their art and stratagem, and how necessary it was to be wary, he ran his
cavalry full at them, and tumbled in himself the first, head foremost into the
marsh, where the Indians began to close upon him, in order to seize him alive
for sacrifice.
By great
exertions, we got him, badly wounded, out of their hands, half drowned, and his
poor sore head exposed and broken. As this country is very populous, we found a
village hard by, whither we went to take repose and dress the wounded. It was
abandoned on our approach, but we had hardly been there a quarter of an hour
when we were attacked with such violence, that in the first onset they killed
one of our soldiers and two horses, and we had much to do to drive them off.
All this time Rangel was complaining of his wounds and bruises, and the musquitos got about him in clouds.
The vermin also with which that country is infested,
bit him to such a degree that his life was insupportable, for he could get no
rest day or night, and the rain fell incessantly. He, and some of Garay’s soldiers whom he had brought with him, seeing that
nothing had been got but three very hard sought battles, and that eleven horses
and two soldiers had been killed and many more wounded, began to grow very lick
of the business, and to wish to be quickly at home. But Rangel did not wish to
have it appear that this retreat was a choice of his, and therefore summoned a council
of such as he knew were of his own opinion.
About
twenty of us had at this time gone to see if we could make any prisoners among
some gardens and plantations hard by; we took five, and on my return Rangel
called me aside and told me that the council had determined to retreat,
desiring me to bring over the rest to it. Having known the man before, I had a
kindness for him. How sir, said I to him can you now think of returning? What
will Cortes and the world say of you, when they hear of your retreat without effecting any thing in these two expeditions? You surely
cannot think of
returning till you have reached the head town of these Indians! I
will go forward on foot and reconoitre with the
infantry, give my horse to another soldier, and do you follow in the rear with
the cavalry. By heavens cries out Rangel, for he was a very loud talker, Bernal
Diaz gives good advice; the lot is cast and we will march on. This was
accordingly done, contrary to the inclination of several, and we advanced in
good order to Cimaton, the principal town, where we
were saluted as usual with a flight of arrows, and then, on entry, found it
abandoned. We burned it in part, and took several Indians whom we dismissed, desiring
them to invite their neighbours to peace and amity;
but those we sent never returned to us. This enraged Rangel against me, and he
swore I should procure him Indians in the place of those who had been
liberated. To pacify him I was fain to go with thirty soldiers, and we picked
up some among the marshes, whom I brought to him and he dismissed, in hopes of
inducing the rest to come in, but without effect. Thus ended the famous expedition
against the Zapotecans, and such was all the fame
Rangel acquired in the wars. In two years afterwards we effected the conquest
of these countries, the natives whereof were converted to our holy saith, through the grace of God, and the exertions of the
reverend father Bartholome de Olmedo,
who poor man was at that time grown weak and infirm. Pity it was, for he was an
excellent minister of the gospel.
Cortes
had now collected eighty thousand crowns in gold, and a golden culverin, which
he named the
“
Y vos sin igual en el Mundo.
The immortal
To Charles is
given boundless rule to bear;
Zealous to
conquer, at my King’s command,
I in my services
unrivalled stand.”
This
present was sent to
He
however was sent to Castille, and took a sum of money with him for the general’s
father; which money he appropriated to his own use, and then, unmindful of the
obligations he had received, said much ill of Cortes; and being very flippant
and fluent of speech, and having been his secretary, he obtained credit for
what he said, and combining with the Bishop of Burgos and others, did him much
harm; and would have done more had it not been for the interference of the Duke
of Bejar, who protected Cortes on account of a treaty
of marriage which was then on foot, between our general and a niece of that
Duke, named Donna Juana de Zuniga. This, combined with the seasonable arrival
of the present, gave a favourable turn to the affairs
of Cortes.
In regard
to the golden
As to the
culverin, it went no farther than the city of
A suit
was commenced by Martin Cortes against Ribera, on ac-count of the money of
which the latter had defrauded him. While it was yet pending, and as Ribera was
on a journey, he stopped to dine at the town of Cadahalsa,
where, eating some broiled meat, he fell down dead suddenly, and without confession.
God pardon his sins! Amen.
Cortes
continued to rebuild and embellish the city of
In compliance
with our petition to his Majesty, as formerly related, Don Francisco de
with reverence, ringing the bells, bearing crucifixes and
lighted wax candles, and the Spaniards to kneel down and kiss their hands. When
they approached
Cortes at
this time thought it necessary to inform his Majesty of his proceedings in the
conversion of the natives, the rebuilding of the city, and the expedition which
he had lent against the province of Honduras under the command of De Oli, who had deserted, and embraced the party of Velasquez,
on which account he had determined to send a force against him. He also
complained of the proceedings of Velasquez, and of the injury his Majesty’s
service had sustained thereby, as also by the partiality of the Bishop of
Burgos. He remitted at the same time thirty thousand crowns in gold to his
Majesty’s treasury, and lamented the unfortunate effects of those abuses, as
having prevented him from making an ampler contribution of gold. He at the same
time complained of one Rodrigo de Albornos, contador in Mexico, who aspersed him from private motives,
because he had refused to give him in marriage the daughter of the Indian lord
of Tescuco, adding that he understood that this Albornos was attached to the interest of the Bishop of Burgos,
and was accustomed to write to him in cyphers.
At this
time the news of the bishop’s removal had not reached
of
The
admiral, either from want of money, or being apprehensive of serious
consequences from committing himself against so able and so successful a leader
as Cortes, delayed setting out upon his expedition so long, that it gave time
to the friends and agents of Cortes to make a full explanation of the
circumstances, and also of the conduit of Albornos, to
the Duke of Bejar, who immediately went to wait upon
the Emperor , to represent the true state of the case, and to offer his life as
a security for the loyalty and good conduct of Cortes.
His
Majesty being upon due consideration convinced of the justice of our cause,
determined to send a person of high quality and sound judgment, and one who
feared the Lord, to hold a supreme court of justice in New Spain. Such a person
he found in the licentiate Luis Ponce de Leon, cousin to the count Don Martin
de Cordova. To him his Majesty intrusted the business
of enquiry into the conduct of Cortes, with full power to inflict the greatest
punishment, in case he should find him guilty. It was however two years and an
half before this gentleman arrived in
I have
now gone beyond the date of my narrative two years in advance, to inform the
reader of this circumstance; and I may now also mention, that during the viceroyalty
of Don Anthonio de Mendoza,
that most illustrious nobleman, worthy of eternal memory and
heavenly glory, for his wise and just government, this same Albornos
wrote slanderous and malignant letters of him, as he had done before of Cortes.
The letters which related to Don Anthonio were all
returned from Castille, into the hands of that nobleman, and when he had read
them, with all the personal abuse of himself that they contained, he sent for Albornos, and shewing them to
him, said in his mild and slow manner of speaking, “whenever you choose to make
me the subject of your letters to his Majesty, mind that in future you tell the
truth; and now go about your business, for a knave as you are.” Thus he left
the contador, overwhelmed with confusion.