ed that he
came to Mexico with the secret intention to side with our party, or, if
we could not succeed in defeating Narvaez, himself to take possession of
the country in the name of our emperor. At all events he embarked with
Narvaez and arrived in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua, of which we
shall hear more presently.

CHAPTER CX.

_How Narvaez arrives with the whole of his flotilla in the harbour
of San Juan de Ulua, and what happened upon this._

When Narvaez had arrived with the flotilla off the mountains of San
Martin, a north wind arose, which is always dangerous on these coasts.
One of the vessels commanded by a cavalier, named Christobal de Morante,
of Medina del Campo, was wrecked during night-time off the coast, and
the greater part of the men perished. The other vessels, however,
arrived safely in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua.

This armament, which may indeed be considered extensive, considering it
was fitted out at Cuba, was first of all seen by some soldiers whom
Cortes had sent out in search of gold mines. Three of these, Cervantes,
Escalona, and Alonso Carretero, did not hesitate a moment to go on
board the commander's ship, and are said, as soon as they stepped on
board to have praised the Almighty for having rescued them out of the
hands of Cortes and the great city of Mexico, where death stood daily
before their eyes.

Narvaez ordered meat and drink to be set before them, and as their
glasses were abundantly filled, they said to one another in his
presence: "This is indeed leading a different sort of life with a glass
of good wine in one's hand, when compared to the slavery under Cortes,
who allows a person no rest either night or day; where a person dares
scarcely say a word, and death is always staring him in the face."

Cervantes, however, who was a low buffoon, even addressed Narvaez
himself, and exclaimed: "O Narvaez! Narvaez, what a fortunate man you
are, that you just arrive at the moment when the traitor Cortes has
heaped together above 700,000 pesos, and the whole of his men are so
enraged with him for his having cheated them out of the greater part of
the gold, that many even disdain to accept of their shares."

Such was the language which these low-minded and worthless fellows
uttered, and they told Narvaez more than he was desirous of knowing.
They likewise informed him that thirty-two miles further on he would
come to a town we had built, called Vera Cruz, which