He Represented The Soil Of The Country As Well Fitted For Tillage And The Rearing Of Cattle, And The Port As Well Situated For Trade With Cuba, Hispaniola, And Jamaica; But As Inconvenient, From Its Distance From Mexico, And Unhealthy Owing To The Morasses In Its Vicinity.

Pizarro returned from Tustepeque or Tzapotecapan, with gold in grains to the value of a thousand crowns.

He reported, that in going into the mountains inhabited by the Chinantlans, they flew to arms and would not permit the Mexicans to enter into their country, threatening to put them all to death; but admitted him and his Spaniards with great attention. He brought several of the chiefs of that country along with him to Mexico, who wished to shake off the Mexican yoke, and to become subjects to our emperor. Cortes then inquired at Pizarro for the soldiers who had accompanied him, when Pizarro answered, that finding the country rich and the people friendly, he had left them to make a plantation of cocoa, and to explore the rivers and mines. Cortes said nothing to him in public, but gave him a severe private reprimand for employing the soldiers in such foolish pursuits, contrary to his orders, and immediately sent a message commanding their return to head-quarters.

Cortes now proposed to Montezuma to order a general contribution in gold to be collected through the whole of his dominions, as a tribute to our emperor, and also that he should deliver up his treasure for the same purpose.

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