CHAPTER V.
SAILING OF THE EXPEDITION.
1518-1519.
The Quality of Leader Desired — Instructions Issued to Hernan Cortés, Commander-in-Chief — The Character of Cortés Undergoes a Change — Cost of the Expedition — By whom Borne — Places Established for Enlistment — The Banner — Cortes Puts on the Great Man — More of his Character — The Scene at Santiago Harbor — The Governor's Jester — Dark Suspicions of Velazquez — Departure from Santiago — Cortés at Trinidad — Fresh Recruits — Verdugo Receives Orders to Depose Cortés — The Fleet Proceeds to San Cristóbal, or The Habana — Review at Guaguanico — Speech of Cortés — Organization into Companies — Departure from Cuba.
With relations so lovingly established, and with a personal knowledge of the military genius of Cortés, and the strength and versatility of his character, it would seem that here would be the first instant choice of the governor for the command of the important expedition now in preparation. But' the quality of the man required did not altogether hinge on merit. As we have seen, Velazquez required for his purpose an anomalous creation. He must be able but humble; able to command men, and able likewise to obey his chief; honest to Velazquez, but false, if necessary, to all the world else. It was not an Alexander or an Alcibiades that was wanted; not so much a man as a thing: "Piper, non homo," as Petronius Arbiter said; pungent as pepper, and not a human being.
Be this as it may, the sordid friendship of Láres and Duero prevailed with the governor, and on the 23d of October, 1518, his instructions to Hernan Cortés, commander-in-chief of the expedition, were drawn up
