Escalente Bore
Inveterate Enmity Against Velasquez, Who Had Refused Him A Good District
In Cuba, And Went Immediately To Villa Rica Where He Executed This Service
Effectually.
All the sails, cordage, and every thing else that could be
useful were brought on shore, and the whole of the ships sunk.
Escalente
then came back to Chempoalla with a company formed of the mariners, many
of whom became excellent soldiers. Cortes now summoned all the chiefs who
had renounced their allegiance to Montezuma into his presence, whom he
exhorted to give every service in their power to the detachment he meant
to leave in Villa Rica, and to assist them in completing the town: Then
taking Escalente by the hand, whom he had appointed to command there in
his absence, he presented him to the caciques as his brother, desiring
them to obey him in every thing, and assuring them that he would protect
them against their enemies. The chiefs all engaged to perform every thing,
he had enjoined. Escalente was left in charge of this port as a person in
whom Cortes could entirely confide, to repel any attempts that might be
made against him by Velasquez, while absent on the expedition to Mexico.
Soon after the destruction of the vessels, Cortes assembled us one morning
after mass; and, after some discourse on military affairs, he said, That
we now knew the business in which we were engaged, wherein we had no other
alternative but conquest or death; for in case of defeat we had no means
of escape, and must depend entirely, under GOD, on our own valour;
afterwards adding many comparisons of our present situation with incidents
drawn from the Roman history.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 786 of 789
Words from 218641 to 218924
of 219607
