Nothing like this had ever been offered to a Spanish conqueror, even by Moors, to say nothing of Indians.  There were two collars of gold set with precious stones; a hundred ounces of gold ore just as it came from the mines; a large alligator’s-head of gold; six shields covered with gold; helmets and necklaces of gold.  There were birds made of green feathers, the feet, beaks and eyes of gold; a box of feather-work upon leather, set with a gold plate weighing seventy ounces; pieces of cloth curiously woven with feathers, and others woven in various designs.  Most gorgeous of all were two great plates as big as carriage wheels, one of gold and one of silver, wrought with various devices of plants and animals rather like the figures of the zodiac.  The wildest tales of the most imaginative adventurer never pictured such magnificence.  If Moteczuma’s plan had been to induce the strangers to respect his wishes and go home without visiting his capital, it was a complete failure.  After this proof of the wealth and splendor of the country Cortes had no more idea of leaving it than a hound has of abandoning a fresh trail.  When the envoys gave him Moteczuma’s message of regret that it would not be possible for them to meet, Cortes replied that he could not think of going back to Spain now.  The road to the capital might be perilous, but what was that to him?  Would they not take to the Emperor these slight additional tokens of the regard and respect of the Spanish ruler, and explain to him how impossible it would be for Cortes to face his own sovereign, with the great object of his voyage unfulfilled?  There was nothing for the embassy to do but to take the message.

While waiting for results, Cortes received a visit from some Indian chiefs of the Totonacs, a tribe lately conquered by the Aztecs.  Their ruler, it seemed, had heard of the white cacique and would like to receive him in his capital.  Cortes gave them presents and promised to come.  In the meantime his own men were quarreling, and both parties were threatening him.  The bolder spirits announced that if he did not make a settlement in the country, with or without instructions from the governor of Cuba who had sent him out, they would report him to the King.  The friends of Velazquez accused Cortes of secretly encouraging this rebellion, and demanded that as he had now made his discovery, he should return to Cuba and report.

Cortes calmly answered that he was quite willing to return at once, and ordered the ships made ready.  This caused such a storm of wrath and disappointment that even those who had urged it quailed.  Seeing that the time was ripe, the captain-general called his followers together and made a speech.  He declared that nobody could have the interests of the sovereigns and the glory of the Spanish race more at heart than he had.  He was willing to do whatever was best.  If they, his comrades, desired to return to Cuba he would go directly.  But if they were ready to join him, he would found a colony in the name of the sovereigns, with all proper officers to govern it, to remain in this rich country and trade with the people.  In that case, however, he would of course have to resign his commission as captain-general of an expedition of discovery.