was accordingly done, and as soon as daylight had broken
forth, we moved forward, four hundred in number, with fourteen horse and
a sufficient number of matchlocks and arquebuses.

On this occasion some of Diego Velasquez's adherents again began to
murmur, declaring that Cortes might proceed further with those who
wished to follow him; but as for themselves they were determined to
return to Cuba.

How this matter terminated we shall see in the following chapter.

CHAPTER L.

_How some of Diego Velasquez's adherents refused to take any further
part in our proceedings, and declared their determination to return
to Cuba, seeing that Cortes was earnestly bent upon founding a
colony, and had already commenced to pacify the inhabitants._

Next morning when our petty officers went round to our different
quarters and called upon the men to march out with their arms and
horses, the partisans of Velasquez insolently answered, that they would
take no further part in any expedition, but wished to return home to
their possessions in Cuba. They had already lost enough, by allowing
themselves to be led away by Cortes to join him in the first instance;
they now, however, would desire him to fulfil the promise, which he had
made in the camp on the downs, namely, to grant those their discharge
who wished to return to Cuba, and provide them a vessel and the
necessary provisions.

Seven men now declared they were positively determined to return home;
Cortes, therefore, desired they should be brought before him, and asked
them, "Why they wished to play him such a vile trick?" They answered in
rather an angry tone, "That they could not help feeling astonished, he
should think of founding a colony with a handful of men in a country
full of towns possessing many thousands of inhabitants. They were
suffering from indisposition, quite tired of roving about, and desired
to return to their settlements in Cuba; he ought, therefore, to grant
them their discharge according to promise."

To this Cortes answered, in the mildest manner possible, that he had
made such promise indeed; but, that they would be acting in a manner
forgetful of their duty to desert the standard of their captain at a
time when he was meditating an expedition: at the same time he commanded
them to embark themselves immediately, and provided them with a vessel,
cassave-bread, a bottle of oil, a quantity of vegetables, and such
things as ships gener