Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/309

 

How Cortes used the ships, and ordered Martin Lopez to model thirteen sloops for the lake of Mexico; what happened as our army marched to Texcoco and Sandoval went to fetch timber of the sloops; of the great thirst we endured, our march about the lake, and the plot to stab Cortes.

the officers of Narvaez saw that the towns of the province of Tepeaca were at peace, they begged Cortes to do as he had promised and give them leave to go back to the island of Cuba. Their request Cortes was not slow in granting, and he even sent them off supplied with such food as we at that time had, maize, salted dog's flesh and a few fowls, and promised that, although many of them went away rich, if he wholly conquered New Spain, he would give them more gold. We who remained behind asked Cortes why he gave them leave to go, for we were so few. He answered that he wanted to be done with their importunities and complaints; it was better to be alone than in bad company, and we could see for ourselves that many of them were not fit for service. Alvarado had orders to see them to port and aboard one of the best ships, and then to return to headquarters.