"You See That These People Esteem Us As
Superior Beings; Let Us Encourage Their Prejudice, And Make Them Believe
That One Of Us Can Drive An Army Of The Natives Before Him.
I will send
old Heredia the musketeer, whose fierce scarred countenance, great beard,
one eye, and lame leg, will
Terrify them." Heredia had served in the wars
of Italy, and was ordered by Cortes to proceed only to the river, where he
was to fire a musket as a signal, meaning only to try how far the
credulity of the Indians would carry them. As Heredia was present, Cortes
pointed him out to the Indians, and desired him to go with his teule,
who would kill or make prisoners of all their enemies. The caciques set
out accordingly with their warriors, headed by Heredia, who went firing
his musket before them. As soon as they reached the river, the old soldier
made the appointed signal, and Cortes sent to recal them, having
sufficiently tried their faith, and informed them that he would march
against their enemies with all his troops. When the soldiers were ordered
to prepare for this duty, those who were of the party of Velasquez refused
to obey, and insisted on returning to Cuba. The mutineers who avowed
themselves on this occasion were only seven in number; and on being
reprimanded by Cortes, they insolently replied, that they wondered at his
temerity, in attempting to establish a colony among such prodigious
multitudes of natives with so small a force; that they were already tired
of being so dragged about, and were resolved to go back to their
plantations in Cuba. Though he disapproved their conduct, Cortes declared
he would not oppose them; on which they embarked, taking on board their
provision of bread, vegetables, and oil for the voyage, and one of them
named Moron sold a good horse to Juan Ruano, receiving its price in an
assignment over some property in Cuba. When the vessel was about to sail,
we all waited on Cortes, having the civil officers of the colony at our
head, and requested that no one should be allowed to quit their colours,
for which these men rather deserved to die, than to be thus permitted to
depart. Cortes appeared at first unwilling to recal his permission, but at
last acceded to our wishes, and the seven deserters were obliged to return,
under the ridicule of us all. Moron in particular was most laughed at, as
having lost his horse, which Ruano refused to return, referring to the
assignment in Cuba for the agreed payment.
The discontents being for the present appeased, Cortes set out against
Cincapacinga with 400 soldiers, and was joined at Chempoalla by 1000 of
our allied natives, divided into four companies. We marched five leagues
the first day, and reached the outskirts of Cincapacinga next day, which
we found situated among steep rocks of difficult access. Eight of the
principal inhabitants of the place waited on Cortes, whom they asked with
tears in their eyes what misconduct of theirs had induced him to destroy
them; adding, that the ill will of our allies of Chempoalla proceeded from
an ancient dispute about boundaries, and they now took the advantage of
our assistance to rob and murder them unjustly.
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