Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/346

 vessel could not leave port. On the next morning, news came that among the people whom I had left in that town there were grumblings about my having absented myself, which would cause certain scandal, and thus, the weather not being propitious for sailing I again landed, made an investigation, and punished the promoters of the trouble so that quiet was restored. I again embarked and set sail, but, after making about two leagues, and doubling a large point in which the port terminates, the main mast of my ship was broken, so again I was forced to return to port and repair it. Three more days were spent for that purpose, when I again left with favourable weather, and, after sailing two nights and one day, a powerful head wind assailed us, breaking our main mast, so that I was again obliged to return to the port with great difficulty. We gave thanks to God for our safe arrival, for indeed we had considered ourselves as lost; and I and all the people were so exhausted that we were obliged to take some rest; so while the ship was being repaired I again landed with all the people to await the change in the weather.

Having seen that I had thrice gone to sea with good weather and been obliged to return, it seemed that it was not God's will that I should leave that country in its present state. I was the more confirmed in this as some of the Indians whom I had left peaceably disposed were in some commotion, so again I recommended myself to God and ordered new processions and had more masses celebrated, and, having reflected, I decided to send that vessel in which I had intended to sail for New Spain, with my cousin Francisco de las Casas on board, provided with my power of attorney, and my letters to the municipalities and Your Majesty's officers, reproving their conduct; also to send some of the principal Indians who were with me, that they might convince their countrymen that I was not dead as had been reported and