hould
contain the original appointment signed by the emperor himself, if he
wished him to acknowledge his authority.

Mata was not a little staggered at being thus addressed, for he himself
was well aware that he was no royal secretary. He was therefore unable
to utter a single word, and those who accompanied him remained equally
mute. Cortes excused their embarrassment, and desired some victuals to
be set before them; and we halted for a few moments, when Cortes
informed them we were marching to the township of Tampanicita, in the
vicinity of Narvaez's head-quarters, where, if the latter had any
further communications to make, he was to be found. During the whole of
this discourse Cortes showed such self-command, that he never so much as
uttered a single reproachful word against Narvaez; he had also a private
discourse with them, and thrust a few pieces of gold into their hands;
so that they left us highly delighted, and on their return to Narvaez
they could scarcely say sufficient in praise of Cortes and of us all.

While these men were still with us, many of our soldiers, for the sake
of ostentation, had decorated themselves with gold chains and jewels,
which spread a vast idea of our splendour. All this produced such a
favorable impression in Narvaez's head-quarters, that many of his chief
officers desired that peace might be brought about between both
generals.

In the meantime we continued our march, and arrived in Tampanicita,
where Sandoval the day following likewise appeared with his small
detachment, consisting of sixty men; the old and infirm of the garrison,
as I have above mentioned, having been previously quartered among our
allies, the Papalote Indians. He likewise brought along with him the
five friends and relatives of Aillon, who had deserted from Narvaez, and
had long desired to pay their respects to Cortes, who gave them the most
friendly reception, and then entered into a private conversation with
Sandoval, who related to him all the particulars respecting the affair
with the furious priest Guevara and his companion Vergara. Sandoval
likewise told him how he had sent two Spanish soldiers into Narvaez's
head-quarters disguised as Indians. They had the exact appearance of
natives, took each a basket of cherries with them, and did as if they
were desirous of selling them. They soon met with a purchaser, in the
person of the braggadocio Salvatierra, who gave them a string of glass
beads for their fru