power which they had once held in such awe and terror, expressing themselves in their own language, as who should say, Here stood Troy.  My readers may be curious to know how we, the conquerors of Mexico, after encountering so many fatigues and dangers to gain possession of that city, should now so readily abandon it in search of new settlements.  To this I answer:  The books containing the record of the Mexican revenues were examined to find whence Montezmna had obtained the valuable articles of tribute, such as gold, cocoa, and cotton, and we all wished to remove to these productive districts.  Some especially were led by the example of Sandoval, who was known to be the particular friend of Cortes, and who would not, as they thought, be sent upon an unprofitable errand.  We all knew that the vicinity of Mexico had neither mines, plantations, nor manufactures, being entirely occupied in the cultivation of maize and maguey, which did not afford sufficient prospects of advantage, and we anxiously removed therefore to other places, where we were miserably disappointed.  I among others, went to Cortes and asked permission to accompany Sandoval to his government:  “Brother Diaz,” said he, “you had better stay with me:  If you are resolved to accompany your friend Sandoval, you may certainly go; but on my conscience you will repent.”  All the gold got into the hands of the royal officers, as the slaves were purchased by the soldiers at a public sale.  The various detachments were sent out at different periods to occupy the provinces, but all within two months after the reduction of Mexico.

At this time, Christoval de Tapia, veedor of Hispaniola, arrived at Villa Rica with a commission to assume the government of New Spain, by order of the emperor and under the direction of the bishop of Burgos.  He likewise brought letters from the bishop to Cortes and many persons in the army, recommending him to be received with honour as governor, promising great rewards to all who should assist him in assuming the government, with severe threats of punishing all who opposed him:  besides these sealed letters, he had many others which he was authorised to address as he saw occasion.  Tapia in the first place presented his commission to Alvarado, who now commanded at Villa Rica, who received it with the highest respect, saying that it did not belong to him to decide on so important a subject, and it would be proper, therefore, to assemble the alcaldes and regidors of the settlement, that the commission might be verified in their presence, and that it might be certainly known it came regularly from his majesty.  This did not exactly suit the views of Tapia, who was advised to proceed to Mexico, and to produce his commission to the general; he therefore forwarded to Cortes the letter of the bishop, and wrote to him on the subject of his mission to New Spain, using smooth and persuasive terms, and Cortes was by no means behind hand in the civility of his reply.