Montezuma
At San Juan de Ulúa the fleet of
Cortés lay at anchor, its fiery purpose clothed, as some one has
said, in dissembling white. Hardly had it assumed its position when
from two large canoes there ascended to the deck of the flagship a
group of Indians. Asking for the Tlatoan, or Chief, they did him
reverence, but beyond this they were unable to make themselves
understood. Thereupon Marina, who with other slave girls was
standing by, said to Aguilar that the Indians were Mexicans sent by
the cacique Cuitlalpitoc, a servant of Montezuma, and that he wished
to know whence the strangers had come and why. So was begun a series
of interchanges between Cortés and the overlord of Culúa or Mexico
—interchanges conducted on the part of the one with veiled though
ever mounting audacity, and on the part of the other with veiled
though ever deepening apprehension.
For more than a fortnight Cortés encouraged the coming of embassies
— "for trade." First came Cuitlalpitoc accompanied by his superior,
Teuhtlilli; and with them they brought cotton fabrics done in
brilliant feather designs — ten bales of them — as also articles of
wrought gold set with rare stones. In return Cortés gave a carved
and inlaid armchair, some engraved stones, a crimson cap, beads, and
a gilt helmet which Teuhtlilli had wondered at and was told to bring
back filled with gold dust. The Spaniard asked also for a time and
place to be fixed at which he might meet Montezuma. Then, in due
season, came a second embassy, one headed by a cacique named
Quintalbor, who in looks resembled Cortés. With Quintalbor came
Teuhtlilli; and this time, besides cotton fabrics embroidered in
feathers and gold, there were brought large plumes of bright colors
spangled with gold and pearls; great feather fans; rods of gold like
a magistrate's staff; collars and necklaces with pendant golden
bells; head-dresses of green quetzal feathers and gold, or of
feathers and silver; miniature golden fish; alligators, ducks,
monkeys, pumas, and jaguars; a graceful bow with twelve sharp arrows
— all these things, to say naught of Nahua books executed in
picture-writing upon cotton or bark. Nor yet were these things all,
for, dominating the entire collection, were a wheel of gold as large
as a cart-wheel, a wheel of silver equally large (the twain worth in
American money of today some $290,000), and the helmet at which
Teuhtlilli had wondered filled with grains of gold fresh from the
placers.
The object of this second embassy was clearly to bribe Cortés into
leaving the country, for, to his wish again earnestly expressed to
visit Montezuma many objections were courteously interposed. The
refusal indeed was soon made pointed and explicit, for Teuhtlilli,
having gone through the form of carrying to his lord the Spanish
leader's reiterated request, came back after ten days bearing a
quantity of robes, feathers, and gems as a gift to be carried by
Cortés personally to his own overlord, the Spanish King.
Having thus "felt out" Montezuma and his magnificence, Cortés saw
his goal before him. But could he reach it? Reach it he must if he
would escape outlawry. Already he had broken with Velasquez, for at
Tabasco he had taken possession in the name of the King alone. His
position was like that of Balboa after he had deported Enciso and
had heard of the golden-shored Pacific. He must seize his
opportunity. He must do or die.
As a first step Cortés resolved upon a new basis for his expedition.
The soldiers must become a Spanish colony looking immediately to the
King. Over this colony he himself must be chosen Captain-General and
Justicia Mayor. As such he could found a settlement, taking care by
destroying his fleet to remove from his followers all temptation to
resume relations with Cuba and Velasquez. Even so, however, the
situation for Cortés was fraught with difficulty. Assuming the
successful establishment of direct relations with Charles V,
successor to Ferdinand on the Spanish throne, how about the Indians?
What would be their attitude toward the appropriation of Montezuma's
wealth by the arrogant white strangers — the white strangers from
out the sunrise? But just here a stroke of fortune!
Across the sand dunes above the San Juan de Ulúa anchorage, came one
day, soon after the departure of the last of the embassies from
Montezuma, five Indians. They were not Aztec, but two of their
number spoke Nahua, and by aid of Marina and Aguilar it was quickly
learned that they were Totonacs, subject to Montezuma and hating him
with a deadly fear. Their principal settlement,
Cempoalla, was a
short distance inland to the north, and here, eager for a conference
with the white chieftain, waited their cacique. Into the hands of
Cortés was given a possible solution of his difficulty, and he was
not slow to perceive it.
Back to: The Spanish Conquerors
