Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/224

 such an extreme one, and, since they did not permit Your Majesty to know, had no hope of help, I strove to take steps toward saving what had been won by such labour and danger (for such a loss would have been a disaster to the service of God, our Lord and that of Your Cæsarian Majesty), and also ourselves from the peril which menaced us. I hastened therefore to find copper in the provinces, offering a good price that it might be the more quickly found; and, as soon as it was brought to me in sufficient quantity, I set a master of artillery, who was fortunately here, at making two medium-sized culverins. These came out so well that, considering their size, they could not have been better. Besides the copper, tin was required for these, as they could not be made without it, and, though with great difficulty and cost, I had procured some from people who had tin plates or other vessels; but neither dear nor cheap could much be found, so I began to enquire whether there was any in the country. Thanks to our Lord, who always provides speedily what is most needed, some small pieces of it were found among the natives of a province, called Tachco, in the form of very thin coins; and continuing my search I discovered that in that province and many others this was used as money; I further learned that it was mined in the province of Tachco, twenty-six leagues from this city so I sent Spaniards with implements there and they brought me a sample of metal. From this time forward I ordered the necessary quantity to be extracted, and shall continue to work these mines, though it will be difficult; while searching for these metals a rich vein of iron was found as I learned from those who say they know it.

Since finding this tin, I have made, and daily continue to make cannon; so far there are five pieces, two