were also other soldiers who joined us,
whose names I have forgotten.

When Cortes, therefore, beheld all these cavaliers together, his heart
leaped with joy, and he sent off another ship for a further supply of
provisions to the promontory of Guaniguanico, where Velasquez had landed
property. Here was a village where cassave-bread was made, and
quantities of swine's flesh cured. He gave the command of this vessel to
Diego de Ordas, who, as Velasquez's steward, ordered matters on his
master's property as he liked. Cortes wished to keep him out of the way,
having learnt that Ordas had not spoken in very favorable terms of him
during the dispute as to whom the command should be given, when he was
detained off the Pinos isles. Ordas's instructions were to remain in the
harbour of Guaniguanico, after he had taken in his lading, until the
arrival there of the vessel which was to sail around the north coast,
with which he was then to proceed to the island of Cozumel, provided he
received no further instructions by Indian canoes.

Francisco de Montejo and other cavaliers of the Havannah likewise
furnished quantities of cassave-bread and cured bacon; there being no
other kind of provisions to be had. In the meantime Cortes ordered all
our heavy guns, consisting in ten copper cannons and a few falconets, to
be brought on shore and given in charge of an artilleryman, named Mesa,
a certain Arbenga who traded to the Levant, and Juan Catalan, to prove
them, and otherwise put them into good repair; also to furnish for each
the right-sized balls and proper quantity of powder. He also gave them
an assistant, named Bartolome de Usagre, and furnished them with vinegar
and wine to polish the copper pieces. In the same way all our crossbows
were inspected, and their strength ascertained by shooting at the
target. Cotton being very plentiful here we constructed ourselves
cuirasses with it, which form the most efficient protection against
Indian arrows, pikes, and slings. Here it was also that Cortes put his
establishment on a much superior footing, and had himself served as a
person of the first quality. He took for his butler a certain Guzman,
who was subsequently killed by the Indians; he must not, however, be
confounded with Christobal de Guzman, who afterwards became his steward,
and was the man whom took the king Quauhtemoctzin prisoner, during the
battle in the suburbs of Mexico. Rodrigo Rangel he appointed his
chamberlain, and Juan