ortes' outward person. He
was of good stature, his limbs well proportioned and strongly knit
together, but his complexion was rather of an ash-coloured grey, nor was
there much cheerfulness in his look; and if his countenance had been
somewhat larger it would have been more handsome. His eyes, generally
speaking, had a remarkably sweet expression, but he could also look very
grave. The hair of his beard, like that of his head, was black, but not
very thick. His chest was well developed, his shoulders broad, his legs
were rather bowed, but his ankles and feet were well proportioned. He
had very little _embonpoint_, and was rather lean. He was a capital
horseman, remarkably expert in all martial exercises, both as a foot and
cavalry soldier; but what was more than this he was uncommonly
courageous and never shrunk back from any danger. In his younger days,
while living at Hispaniola, he had frequent adventures about women, and
often fought with the most expert swordsmen for the possession of some
fair one, and always carried off the palm of victory. On one of these
occasions he was wounded beneath the underlip, the scar of which was
visible through his beard. His bearing, his gait, his conversation, his
behaviour during dinner-time, and the taste he showed in his dress, all
bespoke the cavalier of distinction and good breeding. He always dressed
according to the fashion of the day; wore very little silk, satins, or
expensive damasks; but the whole of his garments were plain and very
neat. He never bedizened himself with heavy gold chains, but always had
the same one, which was of exquisite workmanship, and had attached to it
a kind of trinket, having on one side the image of the blessed virgin,
holding her heavenly Son in her arms; on the other that of St. John the
Baptist, with a Latin inscription. On one of his fingers he wore a
valuable ring set with a most splendid diamond. To his velvet cap was
fastened a medal, with a bust in relief and some name, but I have
forgotten what it was, as latterly he used to wear nothing but cloth
caps, without any medal.

The style in which he lived was that of a person of high distinction. At
the head of his household stood two maestresalas and two mayor-domos; he
had many pages to wait upon him, and everything was served up in gold
and silver. He always made a good dinner, and drank about a pint of wine
diluted with water. He also took suppers; but all his dishes were plain,
excepting