Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/300

276 had a great sum of gold and valuables, belonging not only to Your Highness, but also to my company and myself, which I did not dare to leave, since I feared that, if I left the city, the people might rebel, and such a quantity of gold and jewels, and such a city, would be lost which meant the loss of the whole country. I likewise gave a letter to the said cleric for the licentiate Ayllon, who, as I afterwards learned, had been sent away, with two ships as a prisoner, by Narvaez before the cleric arrived.

On the day the cleric left, I received a messenger from the citizens of Vera Cruz, who informed me, that all the natives had risen in favour of Narvaez, especially those of the city of Cempoal and their party, and that none would come to work in the said town and port, nor do anything else, because they said that Narvaez had told them that I was a traitor, and that he had come to take me and all my company prisoners, and to make us leave the country. As Narvaez's people were many, and mine few, and he had brought many horses, and much artillery, and I had little, they wished to be on the winning side. The messengers informed me also that they had learned from the Indians, that Narvaez would occupy the city of Cempoal, knowing how near it was to their city, and they believed from what they were informed of the said Narvaez's bad intentions towards all, that he would from that place attack them, aided by the Cempoalans. They let me know that they were leaving the town, rather than fight with them, and to avoid scandal they would go up the mountain to the house of a chief, vassal of Your Highness, and our friend, where they would remain until I sent them directions what to do.

As I saw the great mischief which was spreading, and that the country was rebelling on account of Narvaez, it appeared to me that, by going to him myself, all might be appeased, because the Indians would not dare to