ple on the top of a hill, where he found in a chest some
coronets and collars of gold, along with two idols. He secreted the gold
for his own use, but gave the idols to Grijalva; who afterwards learnt the
circumstances of the gold, which he ordered Pardo to surrender, but gave
it back to the poor man, only reserving the fifth for the king, the whole
not exceeding the value of eighty crowns. Being much infested with
mosquitos, I used to sleep while here in a temple to avoid these
intolerable insects, near which I sowed seven or eight seeds of oranges
which I had brought from Cuba. These happened to grow, and being noticed
as uncommon plants by the priests of this temple, they took care of them,
being the first that ever grew in New Spain. As after the conquest, this
province was understood to offer great advantages for settlements, many of
the principal conquerors chose it for their residence. I was one of the
number; and on my arrival, I went in search of the produce of my seeds,
and finding the young orange trees in a flourishing state, I had them
transplanted, and they throve amazingly well. After our ship was repaired,
we set sail for Cuba, leaving the natives very well satisfied with our
behaviour, and arrived safe in forty-five days. Velasquez was much pleased
with the gold, which amounted to the value of 20,000 crowns; but we were
much laughed at on producing our six hundred copper axes to be assayed. On
the whole, Velasquez was well satisfied with the conduct of this
expedition; though he appeared at first displeased with Grijalva, owing to
the unjust aspersions which were thrown upon him by Avila and Montejo.

After receiving a full account of our voyage, Velasquez sent over his
chaplain, Benito Martinez, to make a report of these discoveries to the
court of Spain, with letters for Fonseca bishop of Burgos his patron, and
to the licentiate Juan Zapata, and the secretary Lope Conchillos, both of
whom were employed in conducting the affairs of the West Indies. Velasquez
had secured a powerful interest with all these three, by assigning them
rich districts in the island of Cuba, thus forwarding his own advantage at
the expence of the crown. Martinez was instructed to solicit a commission,
authorizing Velasquez to procure gold from the new discovered country, or
to make conquests and settlements, as he might see fit; and in this he so
effectually succeeded, that he brought back a commission for Velasquez as
_adelantad