o go from Tepeaca to Quauhquechola, to
turn back to Huexotzinco, as it would be in going from Medina del Campo
to Salamanca, to take the road over Valladolid. In the meantime other
news had arrived from Vera Cruz, which will be found in the following
chapter.

[100] Most probably Iztucan. (p. 370.)

[101] Cortes, in his despatches, calls this place Izzucan; the same, no
doubt, as Iztucan. (p. 372.)

CHAPTER CXXXIII.

_How one of the vessels which Francisco de Garay had fitted out for
the object of forming settlements on the river Panuco, put in at
Vera Cruz, and what further happened._

While we were lying at Villa Segura, Cortes was informed by letter that
one of the vessels which Garay had fitted out for the object of forming
settlements on the river Panuco had arrived at Vera Cruz. This vessel
was commanded by a certain Comargo, and had on board above sixty
soldiers, but who were all in very bad health, with their stomachs
largely swelled.

This Comargo related how unfortunately Garay's expedition to the river
Panuco had terminated. The Indians had massacred the commander-in-chief
Alvarez Pinedo, with the whole of his troops and horses, and then set
fire to his vessels. Comargo alone had been fortunate enough to escape
with his men on board one of the vessels, and had steered for Vera Cruz,
where they arrived half famished, for they had not been able to procure
any provisions from the enemy. This Comargo, it was said, had taken the
vows of the order of the Dominicans.

Comargo and his men, by degrees, all arrived at Villa Segura; which
indeed took a considerable time, for they were so weakened that they
could scarcely move along. When Cortes saw in what a terrible condition
they were, he recommended them to our care, and showed Comargo and all
his men every possible kindness. If I remember rightly, Comargo died
soon after, and also several of his men. We used to call them, jokingly,
_verdigris bellies_, from the immense size to which the latter were
swollen, and the death-like appearance of the men.

In order not to break the thread of my history too frequently, I will
take this opportunity of enumerating the different vessels of Garay's
expedition which arrived by degrees in Vera Cruz.

The first which came after Comargo was commanded by a native of Aragon,
named Miguel Diaz, whom Garay had sent with succours to Alvarez Pinedo,
who, he imagined, had run up the river Panuco. Diaz, howev