"Bring a guard! Bring me a horse!" he cried, hurriedly dressing.

Buckling on his sword, he donned his sombrero, and rushed out on the lawn where a retinue of cavaliers awaited him. He leaped on his horse, and, followed by his guard, galloped down to the beach, waving his hand at the fleet and crying:

"Ho, you knaves! Come back, you villains!" Cortez, discovering the approach of the governor and retinue, entered an armed boat and came within speaking distance of the shore.

"And is it thus you part from me?" exclaimed Velasquez; "a courteous way of taking leave, truly!"

"Pardon me," Cortez answered courteously; "time presses, and there are some things that should be done before they are even thought of. Has your excellency any commands?"

So exasperated was the governor at the cool impudence of the fellow that he turned to one of his attendants and cried:

"Garcia, you have a matchlock; dismount and put a bullet through the knave."

Garcia, dismounting, lighted the match in his gun, and, setting the rest, opened the pan. Cortez stood boldly in the stern of the boat, an excellent mark for a good shot, but when the guardsman pressed the trigger sending the match into the

pan there was no explosion; the powder had been jolted out in the ride to the beach.

"Gonzalez, have you your crossbow," cried the governor.

"No, your excellency."

The governor's rage knew no bounds, as Cortez politely waved his hand and returned to his vessel. Turning to Christopher Estevan, who stood on the beach watching the fleet which now weighed anchor, the governor asked:

"Is your father aboard that fleet?"

"He is," the lad answered.

"Then, by St. Anthony, you will be an orphan, for I will hang every officer on the rebel fleet!"

With this threat Velasquez rode back to the house to digest his chagrin as best he might, satisfied that he had blundered both in appointing Cortez to the command, and in attempting to deprive him of it, after appointed.

Cortez sailed to Macaca, where he laid in such stores as he could obtain from the royal farms, which he declared to be "a loan from the king." Thence he proceeded to Trinidad, which had grown to be a considerable town on the south end of Cuba. He remained here some time, recruiting and taking in stores. About one hundred of Grijalva's men, just returned from a long and tedious voyage along the southern coast of Mexico, were persuaded to

join him. He also dispatched one of his officers, Diego Ordaz, in quest of another ship, of which he had heard, and ordered him to meet him off Cape Antonio. From here he sailed to Havana, where he spent his time boldly taking in supplies and recruiting his men.

According to historians, Cortez was, at this time, thirty-four years of age. In stature he was rather above middle size. His complexion was pale, and his large, dark eyes gave an expression of gravity to his countenance, not to be expected in one of his cheerful temperament. Though his figure was slender until later in life, his chest was deep, his shoulders broad, his frame muscular, and well proportioned. His body was a union of strength, agility, and vigor, which qualified him to excel in fencing, horsemanship, and other generous exercises of chivalry. He was temperate in diet, and drank little, while to toil and privation he was perfectly indifferent. His dress was elegant, and well adapted to set off his handsome person to advantage. Though becoming, rich and striking, it was not gaudy, while his few jewels were of great price. His manners were pleasing, frank, and soldier-like, concealing a cool and calculating spirit beneath them. With his gayest humor there mingled a settled air of resolution, which made those who approached him feel that they must obey,

and infused awe into the attachment of his most devoted followers.

In the month of February, 1519, the little squadron touched at Cape St. Antonio, where Cortez, mustering his forces, found they numbered one hundred and ten mariners, five hundred and fiftythree soldiers, including thirty-two crossbow-men and thirteen arquebusiers, besides two hundred Indians of the island, and a few Indian women for menial offices. He was provided with ten heavy guns, and sixteen horses; for Cortez rightly estimated the importance of cavalry, however small in number, both for their actual service in the field, and for striking terror into the hearts of the savages.

After making a short speech, in which he showed them the glories of the coming conquest, they sailed for the island of Cozumel. Here they found houses built of stone and lime, with magnificent temples towering several stories in the air. But the temples had been rifled of their treasures by Alvarado. While at Cozumel, a man dressed like a native came to Cortez one day, and saluted him in Indian fashion by touching his head to the earth.

"Call an interpreter," said Cortez.

"No need, captain, for I am a Spaniard like yourself," said the stranger. "I am Geronimo de Aguilar, a native of Ecija in old Spain, where I

was regularly educated for the church. I was established with the colony at Darien, and on a voyage to Hispaniola eight years ago was wrecked near the cost of Yucatan.” Then he told a story so wild and weird as to make even the steel-clad Cortez shudder.

"Are you the only survivor?" he asked at the conclusion.

"No, I have one companion left from this disaster," answered Aguilar; "but he has married an Indian wife and adopted their manners and customs. He would not come with me, for he preferred his wild life in the wilderness with his dusky wife and children to his own people."