Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/161

Rh Rica of Port Bernal, with its officials and settlers, and henceforth the name of Vera Cruz became the common designation of the town. Cortes wrote glowingly of its prospects, as only second in rank to the capital, and he proposed a Casa de Contratacion to promote its trade, the roads connecting it with Mexico being improved for traffic. But it found little favor with the settlers, who complained so loudly of its noxious airs, that those not possessing repartimientos near it were permitted to reside at Puebla. An additional cause for the slow growth of Vera Cruz was the removal of Medellin from the interior to near the mouth of the Jamapa, four leagues south of modern Vera Cruz, where its proximity could not fail to exercise a retarding rivalry. Indeed, the former town was frequently called Medellin.

Nevertheless Vera Cruz remained the entrepôt for trade, and thence after payment of duty the goods were carried to Mexico, to be announced for sale by public crier. To prevent monopoly, no person was allowed during the first ten days after the arrival of cargoes to buy more goods than were required for personal or domestic use. The sales took place at the