lasquez, the
Governor of Cuba, would dispatch against him, had arrived on the
coast, and had landed. It consisted of eighteen vessels, carrying
nine hundred men, of whom eighty were cavalry. So large a fleet had
never before been collected in the Indies. It was commanded by a
Castilian noble, named Panfilo de Narvaez.

Until they arrived at the coast, they had learned very little of
what was happening in Mexico, as the vessels which Cortez had
dispatched had avoided touching at the islands. They now learned,
from the Spaniards left on the coast, all that had taken place; and
Narvaez found, with indignation, that Cortez was the conqueror of a
great empire, and that the honor and wealth had been reaped by a
man whom he considered as an insolent adventurer, instead of by
Velasquez. He therefore at once proclaimed his intention to march
against Cortez, and to punish him for his rebellion; and the
natives who had flocked to his camp soon comprehended that the new
army had arrived as enemies, and not as friends, of the white men
who had preceded them.

A small body of the troops of Cortez, commanded by Sandoval, were
in garrison at Villa Rica; and he at once dispatched a messenger
with the news to Cortez, and prepared for a vigorous defense. A
priest, a noble, and four Spaniards who arrived from Narvaez,
ordering him to surrender, were bound, placed on the backs of
Indian porters, and sent off to Mexico under a strong guard.

When the news of the arrival of the force of Narvaez reached
Mexico, the soldiers were delighted, believing that means were now
at their disposal for their return home; but when they heard, from
their officers, that the newcomers were sent by the Governor of
Cuba, and had assuredly arrived as enemies, the troops declared
that, come what might, they would remain true to their leader.

On the arrival of the prisoners, Cortez received them with the
greatest courtesy, apologized for the rough conduct of Sandoval
and, loading them with presents, converted them into allies. He
learned from the priest that the soldiers of Narvaez had no
hostility towards them, and that the arrogance of their leader
caused much discontent among them.

When he was sure of the good offices of the priest, Cortez sent him
back with a friendly letter to Narvaez, whom he adjured to lay
aside his hostile designs which, if persisted in, might cause the
loss of all the conquests he had made. He was ready, he said, to
greet him as