and that he had expended large sums of money in
the discovery, it was entirely false, as the whole merit of it was due
to Cordoba, who had fitted out the armament at his own expense.
Velasquez, on the contrary, in many circumstances connected with this
expedition, had laid himself open to the imputation of guilt, as he had
tried all in his power to induce Cordoba and his companions, for certain
considerations, to land at the Guanajas islands, in order to carry away
forcibly from thence a great number of the inhabitants as slaves, to
work his mines in Cuba; of all of which our agents produced undeniable
proofs. Neither could Velasquez, they continued, claim any merit to
himself when he subsequently despatched his relative Grijalva to New
Spain, as he had not commissioned him to form any settlements, but he
merely desired him to carry on a trade of barter with the Indians. Nor
had Velasquez put himself to any great expense on this occasion, as the
greater part of the expenses in fitting out the armament had been borne
by the officers and soldiers themselves, one of whom, Francisco de
Montejo, now stood before the honorable commission. From this expedition
Grijalva had returned to Cuba with 20,000 pesos worth of gold, of which,
however, Velasquez had not paid one farthing into the royal treasury,
but claimed the whole amount for himself, and sent it to the bishop of
Burgos, to obtain further favours from him. In the same way he had
bestowed upon the bishop great numbers of Indians to work his gold mines
in Cuba, without his ever so much as thinking to set any of the
townships apart for the crown. Of all this they likewise produced
undeniable proofs.

If Velasquez, continued our agents, did give Cortes the chief command of
the armament he afterwards fitted out, his appointment was certainly by
divine ordinance, and it proved most fortunate for the emperor's
interest, as every other general must have succumbed to the immense
bodies of the enemy which everywhere opposed his march into the interior
of the country. However, Velasquez's intention in fitting out this
expedition was not to make any conquests, or form any settlements, but
merely to carry on a trade of barter with the Indians; in proof of
which, they could produce the original papers, containing his
instructions. Cortes had remained in that country, and founded a colony
there, because his troops had insisted on it, and because he himself was
convinced that it would