ior of the country, to whom she had been secretly
sold by her mother, who coveted her inheritance. Cortes now reembarked
his soldiers and sailed away to the island of San Juan de Uloa, under
the lee of which they anchored, and soon saw the light pirogues of the
Indians coming off to them from the mainland. They brought presents of
fruit and flowers, and little ornaments of gold which they gladly
exchanged for the usual trifles. Cortes was most anxious to converse
with them, but found to his disappointment that Aguilar could not
understand their dialect. In this dilemma he was informed that one of
the slaves was a Mexican, and could of course speak the language. This
was Malinche, or as the Spaniards always called her, 'Marina.' Cortes
was so charmed with her beauty and cleverness that he made her his
secretary, and kept her always with him; and she very soon learned
enough Spanish to interpret for him without the help of Aguilar. But at
first they were both necessary, and by their aid Cortes learned that his
visitors were subjects of Montezuma, the great Aztec emperor, and were
governed by Tenhtlile, one of his nobles. Cortes having ascertained that
there was abundance of gold in the interior, dismissed them, loaded with
presents, to acquaint their governor with his desire for an interview.
The next morning he landed on the mainland with all his force. It was a
level sandy plain, and the troops employed themselves in cutting down
trees and bushes to provide a shelter from the weather; in this they
were aided by the natives, who built them huts with stakes and earth,
mats and cotton carpets, and flocked from all the country round to see
the wonderful strangers. They brought with them fruits, vegetables,
flowers in abundance, game, and many dishes cooked after the fashion of
the country; and these they gave to, or bartered with, the Spaniards.
The next day came Tenhtlile, the governor, with a numerous train, and
was met by Cortes, and conducted to his tent with great ceremony. All
the principal officers were assembled, and after a ceremonious banquet
at which the governor was regaled with Spanish wines and confections,
the interpreters were sent for and a conversation began. Tenhtlile first
asked about the country of the strangers, and the object of their visit.
Cortes replied that he was the subject of a powerful monarch beyond the
seas, who had heard of the greatness of the Mexican emperor, and had
sent him with a present