you find another man who would dare, after destroying his fleet, to
penetrate with a handful of men in the midst of a country so thickly
populated, in order to wage war against powerful states and large
cities?"

Narvaez then mentioned other heroic deeds of our general, and in this
way they discoursed for a length of time with each other about the
wonderful conquest of New Spain! Garay, soon after, even begged Cortes
to grant Narvaez and his wife permission to return to the island of
Cuba. This lady, whose name was Maria Valenzuela, possessed great
wealth, and she had formerly known Cortes at Cuba, and was even related
to him. She had herself also petitioned Cortes to liberate her husband.
Our general now not only granted this request, but also gave Narvaez
2000 pesos to defray the expenses of his voyage. Narvaez could scarcely
find words to thank Cortes sufficiently for so much kindness, and
promised him, by everything that was holy, never under any circumstance
whatever to go against his interests.

But to return to Garay, whose unfortunate expedition terminated in the
following manner. On Christmas eve of the year 1523 he accompanied
Cortes to church in order to attend midnight mass, performed by father
Olmedo; after church they both returned home in high spirits and sat
down to breakfast, when it appears that Garay, who was not in very good
health, caught cold by standing in a draught, which ended in pleurisy,
accompanied by a violent fever. The medical men bled and purged him, but
the disease continually grew worse, so that father Olmedo was desired to
inform him of the danger he was in, that he might confess, while he was
yet able, and make his last will. Father Olmedo accordingly disclosed to
him that his end was drawing nigh, and he ought to think of preparing
for death as a good Christian and an honest cavalier, that he might not
lose his soul in the next world, as he had his riches in this. "Your
advice is good, father," answered Garay; "I wish to confess this very
night, to receive the holy sacrament, and to make my last will." All
this he fulfilled with great devotion, appointed Cortes with father
Olmedo his executors, and four days after rendered up his soul again to
his God and his Creator.

It is peculiar to the climate of Mexico that those who are attacked by
pleurisy, generally die within three or four days; this we experienced
to our great sorrow in Tezcuco and Cojohuacan, where we lost numbers of