r." He also became reconciled to Velasquez, so much that
the latter stood as god-father to the first-born child of Cortez.

This latter story seems the more probable of the two, and more in accord
with what we know of the characters and dispositions of both Velasquez
and Cortez. Certain it is that after their disagreements and conflicts
Velasquez took Cortez back into full favor, made him Alcalde of Santiago
de Cuba, and selected him in preference to his own nephew, Grijalva, to
be the leader of what he himself considered to be the most important of
all his enterprises.

In making this choice, which was of epochal importance both to himself
and to Cuba and the Spanish colonial empire, Velasquez was doubtless
largely influenced by the arguments and persuasions of his own
secretary, Andres de Ducro, and by the royal contador in Cuba, Amador de
Lares. These two appear to have worked together, with a mutual
understanding, and also with an understanding with Cortez; so that we
might almost consider the three to have formed a conspiracy to prevail
upon the Governor. Perhaps their chief argument, or temptation, was to
promise Velasquez the royal appointment as Adelantado, not alone over
Cuba but also over all other lands which he might discover, and it was
shrewdly pointed out to him that if haste was made, he might secure that
appointment in time to claim the enormously rich land of Mexico as part
of his domain. All that would be necessary would be for him to get the
appointment before the return of Grijalva with the official report of
his discoveries. As this appointment was the dearest wish and ambition
of Velasquez's life, it is easy to understand how potent this offer was
in persuading him to make Cortez the leader of the expedition.

There was on the other hand much opposition to the choice. All of the
relatives and many of the friends and counsellors of Velasquez warned
him not to trust Cortez. Las Casas joined his advice with theirs,
warning Velasquez, however, not so much against Cortez as against the
royal contador, De Lares, and anyone whom he might favor. De Lares, he
said, had lived long in Italy, a country then considered to be a very
hotbed of trickery and treachery, and was doubtless deeply imbued with
the spirit of conspiracy and intrigue, which he was quite likely to
exercise against Velasquez himself.

Cortez was of course well aware of these conflicting influences, and for
some time felt much uncertainty