Here they made known to Diego Velasquez that they had found a land very rich in gold, because they had seen that all the natives wore it, some in their noses, some in their ears, and some in other parts, and, likewise, that there were in that country edifices
Return
of the
Expedition
built of mortar and stone. They made known to him also many other facts, which they published about the admirable things and riches of the said land, and they counselled him to send ships to barter for gold, saying that, if he would do so, a great amount of it could be obtained.[1]
Upon learning this, the said Diego Velasquez, moved more by cupidity than any other zeal, sent a Procurator to the Island of Hispaniola, with a certain account, which he made to the Reverend Fathers of St. Jerome,[2] who resided there as Governors of the Indies, to obtain per-
- ↑ Their description of the solidly built houses and temples, the spoils of gold which they brought, together with the two converted captives, aroused the greatest excitement, and inflamed Diego Velasquez's cupidity. Speculation as to the origin of the natives of Yucatan was rife, and the theory was advanced that they descended from the tribes of Jews exiled from Jerusalem under Vespasian and Titus.
- ↑ Fray Bartolomé Las Casas had succeeded, by the moving picture he drew of the oppression and injustice practised by the Spaniards on the natives of the islands, in interesting the Cardinal-Regent Ximenez de Cisereros in their behalf, and His Eminence's first step was to apply to the General of the Jeronymites at San Bartolomé de Lupiano to furnish some men of that order for service in the Indies. A chapter of the Priors of Castile, which the General assembled, assented to the Cardinal's wish, and furnished three friars who were sent out with instructions, and very full powers. Las Casas says that they did not go as governors, as some supposed, but rather to see that the laws for the protection of the Indians were observed, and to report abuses. They were instructed to visit each island personally, to ascertain the number of chiefs and tribes, and to see how they were treated by the
Pelea fight, met the worse fate of being taken alive. After many mishaps, they finally landed at Carenas (Habana), and, ten days later. Francisco Fernandez de Cordoba died from his wounds, and thus ended this disastrous expedition (Bernal Diaz, cap. i-vi.; Oviedo, lib xvii., cap. iv.; Gomara, Hist, de las Indias, cap. lii.; Herrera, dec. ii. lib. iii., cap. xvii-xviii.; Cogolludo, Hist. Yucatan, lib. i., cap. i-ii.; Torquemada, lib. iv., cap. iii.).
