Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/220

 North Sea where all material which arrives in this New Spain is delivered, and there are very steep mountain passes in some parts, and in others great rivers, over which everything required for the said ships must be carried, as nothing can be obtained elsewhere. Another thing also happened, which was that when I had got together the sails, cordage, nails, anchors, tar, tallow, tow, bitumen, oil, and everything else required, and stored them in a house in that port, it took fire and everything was burned, except the anchors, which could not burn. I have now again begun, as a ship arrived from Castile, four months since, bringing me everything necessary for the ships; as, foreseeing the possibility of what had happened, I had already ordered material to be sent. And I certify to Your Cæsarian Majesty that the ships cost me to-day, before launching them on the water, more than eight thousand pesos of gold, without the extra outlays, but now — our Lord be praised — they are in such a condition that, between the Feast of the Holy Ghost and that of St. John in June, they will be ready for navigation if the tar does not fail me, for I have not been able to replace that which was burned, though I have ordered more to be sent me. I attach more importance to these ships than I can say, for I am positive that — God willing — I shall discover for Your Majesty more kingdoms and dominions than all those discovered up till now, and that, with His guidance, my projects may succeed according to my desires, and Your Highness will become the Sovereign of the World.

After God our Lord granted that this great city of Temixtitan should be subdued, it did not seem to me well to live in it, for many reasons, so I brought all the people to a town, called Coyuacan, on the shore of the lake which I have already mentioned. As I always desired that this city should be rebuilt, because of its great and marvellous position, I strove to collect the natives, who,