s more magnificent.

While Cortes was busily engaged with these matters, he received
intelligence that the province of Panuco had revolted, and the whole of
its numerous and warlike population had risen up in arms. Many of the
Spanish settlers had been murdered by the inhabitants, and the few who
had escaped begged for immediate assistance.

As soon as our general heard this bad news, he determined to march
thither in person, as all our chief officers were absent, with their
respective detachments, in the provinces. He therefore collected all the
cavalry, crossbow-men, musketeers, and other troops he could; and it
fortunately happened that considerable recruits arrived in Mexico about
this time from those who came in the suite of Tapia, and of the troops
of Vazquez de Aillon, whose expedition to Florida terminated so
miserably; besides that, numbers had arrived from the Caribbee and other
islands.

Cortes left a strong garrison in Mexico, under the command of Diego
Soto, and set out on his march with no more than 250 Spanish troops,
including the musketeers, crossbow-men, and 130 horse; but to this small
body he added 10,000 Mexican auxiliaries.

Before Cortes left, Christobal de Oli returned from the province of
Mechoacan, which he had completely subdued, and was accompanied by many
caziques, as also by the son of Consi, the great cazique of the
province. He likewise brought with him a large quantity of gold, but of
very inferior quality, being considerably mixed with copper and silver.

This expedition to the province of Panuco cost our general a large sum
of money, which he subsequently requested the emperor to reimburse him;
but the board of finance refused this, and told him he ought to bear all
the expenses himself, as he had subdued that province to suit his own
private views, and to anticipate Garay, who was fitting out an extensive
armament in Jamaica for the same purpose.

Cortes found the whole province of Panuco in a terrible state of
rebellion. He several times offered the inhabitants peace, but to no
purpose, and the consequence was a series of battles, of which ten were
very severe, three Spaniards and four horses being killed, besides one
hundred of the Mexican auxiliaries. In these battles the enemy had
brought 60,000 men into the field; yet Cortes defeated them with
considerable loss, and they never after felt any inclination to fight
against him.

Cortes, finding that the district he was in co