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258 with supplies, he concluded to seek one of the Spanish settlements on the Pacific coast of America. After great hardships, to which the captain among others succumbed, the vessel was brought into Cihuatlan harbor, in Zacatula province.

Aided by the advice of her officer, Cortés began to prepare for his expedition, but neither Aguilar nor the royal officers were disposed to promote the aims of a rival, even when duty pointed the way, and he was obliged to meet not only the whole expense but the opposition of the officials. The fleet consisted of the flag-ship Florida, the Santiago of nearly the same size, and the small brigantine Espíritu Santo, all well armed, and carrying provisions for a year. The command was intrusted to a cousin of Cortés, Álvaro de Saavedra Ceron, with the title of captain-general.

After a few days' trip up the coast by the brigantine, to a port named Santiago, the expedition left Cihuatlanejo on the 31st of October 1527. The two smaller vessels were soon lost to sight, never to be heard of again, and the flag-ship continued her course