Villafuerte had been sent to Zacatula, and Juan Alvarez Chico to Colima, two provinces on the south sea to the west of Mexico, but were unsuccessful; on which Cortes sent Christoval de Oli to reduce these provinces to submission.  The natives attacked him on his march, killing two of his soldiers; yet he reached the station of Villafuerte, who was afraid to stir out, and had four even of his soldiers killed by the enemy in the town where he resided.  I do not know what became of Captain Juan Alvarez, but I believe he lost his life about this time in some action with the natives.  De Oli reduced both provinces to submission and returned to Mexico, where he was hardly arrived when intelligence was brought that they had again rebelled; on which Cortes sent Sandoval with a small party of veterans to take the charge of them.  He punished the ringleaders of the rebellion, and regulated them in so effectual a manner, that they continued ever afterwards submissive.

On the departure of Sandoval with the ladies, several of the districts subjected to Coatzacualco rebelled, killing the soldiers who were appointed to collect the tribute; among which were the Tzapotecas of Xaltepec, Cimatan and Copilco, the first being difficult of access on account of its rugged mountains, and the two others because of lakes and marshes, so that they were not reduced to subjection without great difficulty.  While Captain Luis Marin was engaged in reducing these districts, Juan Buono arrived at our settlement in a small vessel.  He immediately called us all together, and endeavoured to persuade us to submit to Christoval de Tapia as governor of New Spain, being ignorant of the return of that person to Hispaniola.  Buono had a number of unaddressed letters from the bishop of Burgos, making large offers to such as would further his views of superseding Cortes, and which Buono had a discretionary power of directing to any persons that he supposed might support the cause in which he was engaged, and which he accordingly transmitted to those who held offices in the settlement.  Among the rest, I was offered the appointment of regidor.  When Buono learnt that Tapia had left the country, he seemed much disappointed.  We referred him to Cortes at Mexico, to which place he went.  I know not what passed between him and Cortes, but I believe the general sent him back to Spain with some money in his pocket.

Among the tribes that courted our alliance after the conquest of Mexico, was a people of the Tzapotecan nation, named the Tutepecs, who earnestly requested our assistance against a hostile tribe, who bore the same name with themselves, and whom they represented as possessing a very rich country.  Accordingly, in the year 1522, Alvarado marched from Mexico with a detachment of 180 soldiers, cavalry and infantry, with orders to take twenty more on his march through the district of Oaxaco, and also to visit and reduce during his march certain mountainous districts which