is
march as speedily as possible through the province of Guatimala to
Mexico."

Our general then wrote to the captain Francisco Hernandez, who was
staying at Nicaragua, offering to promote his interests to the utmost of
his power, and sent him two mules laden with horseshoes, of which he
knew he was in great want; a quantity of agricultural implements,
several splendid articles of dress, and four pieces of beautiful plate,
besides several golden ornaments. With these things a certain Cabrera,
one of the five men of Garro's troops, who had accompanied us to
Truxillo, was despatched to the camp of Hernandez. This Cabrera was a
hidalgo by birth, and a native of Old Castile, an officer of great
courage and muscular power, who subsequently gained so much renown as
captain under Benalcazar. He became quartermaster-general of Blasco
Nunez Vela, and fell in the same battle with the viceroy.

When I found that Cortes was determined to proceed to New Spain by
water, I earnestly begged he would allow me to accompany him, and
desired him to remember that, in all the dangers he had undergone, and
in the battles he had fought, I never had flinched from his side; how
faithfully I had always cooperated with him to accomplish his objects;
and that now he had an opportunity of showing me he valued the services
I had rendered to him. When I had done speaking, Cortes gave me a hearty
embrace, and said, "If I take you along with me, my son, who will be
with Sandoval? I therefore beg of you to remain with your friend, and I
swear to you by my beard that I will reward you for it, and believe me I
shall never forget the services you have rendered me." In short, all I
might say was to no purpose; he would not allow me to accompany him.

While we were still lying in Truxillo, a cavalier, named Rodrigo
Mannueca, wished by some means or other to enliven Cortes, who was
exceedingly downcast, and certainly required something to rouse his
spirits; for which purpose he, with several other cavaliers, clambered
suddenly, in full armour, to the top of a house, which the Indians had
recently built; but this bit of fun terminated fatally for Mannueca. The
house stood upon a hill of considerable height, and poor Mannueca fell
through the roof, broke his ribs, and died shortly after of the
consequences.

Another circumstance likewise caused our general much grief, which was,
that several of the cavaliers of the town, being dissatisfied with the
appointm