27
Early Exploration of tlze Coast of Te:xas
the matter, which had brought him to the plight of a virtual prisoner. He seemed to be as anxious as ever to renew his venture of colonizing the Rio de las Palmas, strange as it may seem in the face of the declara- tions of his followers, that he desired to settle the Panuco. He proposed that his eldest son marry Catarina Pizarro, a natural daughter of Cortes; that he (Garay) be permitted to make a new attempt to establish a per- manent settlement on the Rio de las Palmas; and that Cortes should give him aid and cooperation in carrying out his enterprise. In a letter of Cortes to the king, he says that Garay appeared anxious to have this agreement put in writing and made into a formal pact. But appar- ently the conqueror of Mexico was not anxious to agree to the proposal, for it was some time before the agreement was finally drawn up in legal form and signed. 67 In the end, Cortes agreed not only to aid his former rival in the settlement of the Rio de las Palmas, but promised to furnish some of his experienced captains and seasoned soldiers to help Garay establish himself in his lands. Since the house of Cortes was still under construction at this time, Garay went to live with his old friend, Alonso de Villanueva. While in Mexico City he met another friend, who had been there for two years, the defeated Pamfilo de Narvaez. The two men seem to have been together a great deal. It is said that the boasts of Garay had reached the one- eyed Narvaez. The men at Santiestevan had declared that Garay had said that he would not be taken as easily as Narvaez had been by Cortes, that he would put up a much better fight and die rather than surrender. He had urged his men to show more courage than the unfortunate fol- lowers of Narvaez. These things had nettled that gallant fighter, destined still to lead an expedition to Florida within five years, one of whose survivors was to wander over a great part of the present State of Texas. Diaz del Castillo, who loves to gossip, says that one day Narvaez jokingly said to Garay that he had lost an eye in his fight with Cortes and that his lieutenant had lost his life, but that he did not see that Garay was much hurt by his encounter. The taunt was a bitter reminder of the trick which fate had played Garay. The Governor of Jamaica, however, had much sympathy for his fellow in misfortune. He interceded with Cortes for his release, and earnestly begged that he be allowed to return to Cuba. To his pleadings were added those of Maria de Valenzuela, the wife of the defeated chieftain. Cortes,
67 Diaz del Castillo, Historia, II, 176-187; Cortes, Carta de Relacion, October 15, 1524 ; Herrera, op. cit., Dec. iii, Lib. v, Cap. vii.
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