Cortes Thanked Them For Their Attention,
Making Them A Present Of Some Cut Glass And Other Toys, And Invited Them
To partake of some refreshments, stating that he had come to trade with
them, and to confer with their king
On affairs of the highest importance,
assuring them that no one should receive any injury, but that all should
have reason to be satisfied with his visit to their country.
Next day being Good Friday, we disembarked the cavalry, artillery, and
infantry, on the sand hills where the city of New Vera Cruz now stands,
where we constructed huts for the troops, posting the artillery for the
protection of our cantonment, and erected an altar for public performance
of our devotions. Many of the natives came to visit us next day, bringing
hatchets with them, and assisted us in making our huts more comfortable,
more especially that of our general; they also brought a present of many
large cloths or mantles to protect us from the sun, and made us a
considerable present of fowls, bread, and plumbs, and some gold. The
bearers of this present informed Cortes that the governor of the province
intended to wait upon him on the second day after, being Easter Sunday,
the 24th of April. Accordingly Teuchtlile, the governor, came at the
time specified, accompanied by a chief named Quitlatpitoc[2], who was
afterwards named Ovandillo, with a great retinue bearing various articles
of provisions with much ceremony and respect. These men advanced, making
three profound reverences to Cortes and the soldiers who were with him;
and, after exchanging civilities, Cortes ordered mass to be performed in
their presence, after which he and the two Mexican lords with several
Spanish officers, sat down to dinner.
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