sending three men to the bearded men, even though they were afraid that if they were found out, they would be killed and eaten by the chieftain who held the bearded men captive. It took a few more bribes of trinkets before they were convinced to try. Cortes wrote a letter to the unknown captives, saying:
Noble lords, I have departed from Cuba with a fleet of eleven vessels and five hundred and fifty Spaniards and have arrived here at Cozumel, where I am writing this letter to you. The people of this island have assured me that in your country there are four or five bearded men like us in every respect. They cannot give me more details, but judging from what they have told us, I suspect and consider as certain that you are Spaniards. I and these gentlemen who have come with me to explore and colonize these lands beg you, within six days from the time you receive this letter, to come to us without delay or excuse. If you will come, we shall recognize and reward the favor that this fleet will receive from you. I am sending a brigantine to pick you up and two ships to act as escort.
Hernan Cortes of Havana, Cuba
In order to keep the letter hidden, Cortes chose the brightest looking of the Indians and hid the letter in the man's thick braids. He sent Captain Escalante and his brigantine, along with Diego de Ordaz and several Indians, to command the two escort ships and the fifty soldiers on them. Escalante landed the Indians where he was told to, let them off, and waited seven days, though he had been told to wait for six. When the Indians didn't return, he figured they'd been found out and killed or taken as slaves. Cortes was disappointed that they had not returned with at least one Spaniard who could speak the tongue of the Indians. He gave the order for his fleet to make ready to sail.
The fleet had not cleared the cape before they had to put about and return to Cozumel, where Pedro de Alvarez's ship had sprung a leak so bad that not even two pumps could keep it under control. The Indians were glad to see them return, but Cortes was impatient, feeling that even nature and luck were beginning to conspire against his destiny. It was the following Sunday, which was the first day of Lent, when Cortes decided to hold a mass before they attempted to leave again. It was then that he was told that a canoe had been seen sailing from Yucatan to the island, heading for where his ships were anchored. Cortes put out a guard under the command of Andres de Tapia, the commander of his arquebusiers, in case the new arrivals were hostile. They went to the beach to await the arrival of whoever was coming from the mainland.
The log canoe touched the beach, and four men got out of it, all of them wearing only breechclouts, their hair braided over their foreheads, bows and arrows in their hands. Three of them started to try to get back into the boat when they saw the Spaniards of de Tapia coming at them with drawn swords. One stepped in front of them, speaking their tongue and halting their flight. Then he turned to those carrying the good steel of Toledo in their hands and cried out in Spanish, "Gentlemen, are you Christians?" When they affirmed that it was so, he broke into tears, sank to his knees, and begged them to do likewise. They joined him as he said thanks to God and the Holy Virgin for their mercy in restoring him to his country and out of the hands of the devils who had held him for so long.
Co rtes was in a frenzy of delight over the man who identified himself as Geronimo de Aquilar. Once the former captive had been cleaned up and clothed as befitted a Spanish gentleman, he was asked to accompany Cortes as his adviser and interpreter. He eagerly accepted. The story he told of his captivity left the caballeros of Cortes's company aghast at the barbaric habits of the natives of Yucatan. They vowed that they would teach civilized manners to any savages that they met, even if they had to burn them at the stake to do it.
Geronimo, his
Noble lords, I have departed from Cuba with a fleet of eleven vessels and five hundred and fifty Spaniards and have arrived here at Cozumel, where I am writing this letter to you. The people of this island have assured me that in your country there are four or five bearded men like us in every respect. They cannot give me more details, but judging from what they have told us, I suspect and consider as certain that you are Spaniards. I and these gentlemen who have come with me to explore and colonize these lands beg you, within six days from the time you receive this letter, to come to us without delay or excuse. If you will come, we shall recognize and reward the favor that this fleet will receive from you. I am sending a brigantine to pick you up and two ships to act as escort.
Hernan Cortes of Havana, Cuba
In order to keep the letter hidden, Cortes chose the brightest looking of the Indians and hid the letter in the man's thick braids. He sent Captain Escalante and his brigantine, along with Diego de Ordaz and several Indians, to command the two escort ships and the fifty soldiers on them. Escalante landed the Indians where he was told to, let them off, and waited seven days, though he had been told to wait for six. When the Indians didn't return, he figured they'd been found out and killed or taken as slaves. Cortes was disappointed that they had not returned with at least one Spaniard who could speak the tongue of the Indians. He gave the order for his fleet to make ready to sail.
The fleet had not cleared the cape before they had to put about and return to Cozumel, where Pedro de Alvarez's ship had sprung a leak so bad that not even two pumps could keep it under control. The Indians were glad to see them return, but Cortes was impatient, feeling that even nature and luck were beginning to conspire against his destiny. It was the following Sunday, which was the first day of Lent, when Cortes decided to hold a mass before they attempted to leave again. It was then that he was told that a canoe had been seen sailing from Yucatan to the island, heading for where his ships were anchored. Cortes put out a guard under the command of Andres de Tapia, the commander of his arquebusiers, in case the new arrivals were hostile. They went to the beach to await the arrival of whoever was coming from the mainland.
The log canoe touched the beach, and four men got out of it, all of them wearing only breechclouts, their hair braided over their foreheads, bows and arrows in their hands. Three of them started to try to get back into the boat when they saw the Spaniards of de Tapia coming at them with drawn swords. One stepped in front of them, speaking their tongue and halting their flight. Then he turned to those carrying the good steel of Toledo in their hands and cried out in Spanish, "Gentlemen, are you Christians?" When they affirmed that it was so, he broke into tears, sank to his knees, and begged them to do likewise. They joined him as he said thanks to God and the Holy Virgin for their mercy in restoring him to his country and out of the hands of the devils who had held him for so long.
Co rtes was in a frenzy of delight over the man who identified himself as Geronimo de Aquilar. Once the former captive had been cleaned up and clothed as befitted a Spanish gentleman, he was asked to accompany Cortes as his adviser and interpreter. He eagerly accepted. The story he told of his captivity left the caballeros of Cortes's company aghast at the barbaric habits of the natives of Yucatan. They vowed that they would teach civilized manners to any savages that they met, even if they had to burn them at the stake to do it.
Geronimo, his
Similar Books
