Our Catholic Heritage, Volume I

Our Catholic Heritage in Texas

to surrender. Two of the pilots, Martin de San Juan and Castromocho, agreed to turn their ships over to Alvarado and Vallejo, the Alcalde of Santiestevan. Juan Grijalva, who was in command of the fleet, attempted to offer resistance and started to fire upon the deserters, but when they opened fire on him, he decided to surrender with the others. "Castromocho and l\fartin de San Juan were as good mutineers as Gonzalo de Ovalle was an incapable captain," remarks Oviedo, who seems to have had a deep sense of fairness. 65 Seeing that all his men were deserting, that they were dissatisfied, and that they seemed anxious to join his victorious rival, Garay realized the best thing he could do now was to treat with Alvarado and Vallejo. On October 4, I 523, he appeared before the Alcalde of the Villa de Santiestcvan, where he was presented with a copy of the royal order, which commanded him to leave the Panuco in undisturbed possession of Cortes. He took the ccdula and, placing it over his head, agreed to obey. Alvarado and Vallejo issued a proclamation ordering Garay and all his men to leave the Province of Panuco. The defeated Governor of Jamaica remonstrated that he could not leave, however, without ships, and that his men refused to follow him. In spite of repeated orders issued during the next ten days, that all men join Garay and return with him to the Rio de las Palmas, under penalty of corporal punishment and severe fines to those who failed to follow their leader, the men still refused to go. 66 In view of the circumstances, Garay now suggested to the lieutenants of Cortes that they solicit permission for the vanquished leader to go to Mexico City to speak with their master, declaring that he would be willing to place himself at the mercy of the conqueror who, he felt, would treat him with respect and generosity. Cortes was immediately informed of the requested interview and graciously granted the petition, giving orders that on the way to Mexico City Garay should be shown all courtesies. Cortes was a magnanimous host to his defeated foe . He arranged a banquet in his honor upon his arrival at Tezcoco and went out to meet him with a large retinue of his distinguished captains and soldiers. He took him from there to Mexico City and lodged him in his own home. Garay was deeply impressed by the splendor of the new city, which was being built over the ruins of the old capital of the Aztec empire. After the ceremonies of the first meeting were over, he proceeded to discuss lSQviedo, op. cit., Ill, 450. 66 Pacheco y Cardenas, Doc11mentos, XXVI, 77-115; G6mara, Cronica, Barcia, II, 159-160.

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