tched another
expedition, commanding his nephew to return, which the latter did and
was received coldly by the jealous and ungenerous Governor, as he is
painted by his historians. Still bent on greater conquest, Velasquez
cast about for men, money, and ships, and his eye fell on the capable
Hernando Cortes, the young Spaniard who, born in Estremadura in 1485,
had set out, impatient of the old world, to seek his fortunes in the
new: and had amassed--"God knows by what methods," as one of his
chroniclers says--a small fortune under the Governor's rule. Here was
the man, and, incidentally, here was part of the money! For Cortes was
popular and daring, and notwithstanding the several occasions on which
he had come into collision with the Governor and the law, Velasquez
held him in certain favour.

The life of Cortes up to that point--let us touch upon it before
accompanying him, and know what manner of man he was--had been urged
principally by selfish adventure and amorous intrigues. He had arrived
in Hispaniola in 1504, and upon being offered a grant of land and
_repartimiento_ of Indians replied that "he had left Spain in search of
gold--not to become a land-tilling peasant." In 1511, under Velasquez,
who had been appointed to the conquest of Cuba, Cortes found outlet for
his adventurous spirit, and in the Indian warfare of the island gave
promise of the valour and activity which underlay a jocular and
seemingly trivial character. At the same time he became accustomed to
the barbarous methods of conquest and cruelty displayed by the
Spaniards in those regions, and to the abuse of power and arbitrary
jealousies and exactions displayed both to natives and colonials by the
petty Imperial authorities. Cortes had soon fallen foul of Velasquez.
On two occasions he had been thrown into prison by the Governor's
orders, but had escaped, partly by his own activity, and partly--it is
held--by connivance of his gaolers. Associated with these episodes was
a beautiful Spanish girl, Catalina Juarez, whom he had refused to marry
in spite of the representations of her family, due to his relations
with her: Velasquez also being interested in the family, in the person
of Catalina's sister. However, after a time, Cortes married and lived
happily with her upon his estate. Land and Indians were granted him,
and he acquired some wealth from agriculture and mining, maintaining
good relations with the Governor, Velasquez.

Now it was that Pedro