The Europeans had decided to venture first to Quiahuiztlan, described as a fortified town near the coast. Before they reached it, messengers from the closer town of Cempoala were kindly received and heard. Chickens and maize were brought and accepted as a token of good fortune. The Europeans were hungry. The group was encouraged to instead come to Cempoala where they would be welcomed and well-counseled. So they advanced, on their guard.
When they grew near to Cempoala, local chieftains again made overtures of welcome, with incense, and food, so the Europeans felt secure. It seems they spent some time hereabouts negotiating, though Diaz claims it was only a day in Cempoala, not the longer period Gomara claims. For us, however, the length of time remains vague. To complicate this, by this time, the narrative of Diaz has branched out with several stories being told in groups arranged by topic. Anecdotes of the Cortes group, the locals, the trips to various towns, the retold stories of the Mexica and Montezuma, the Spanish faction that wanted to return to Cuba, the other group returning to Castile, the effects on and by Diego Velasquez, all get treatment, appearing in serial fashion. The specifics of Cortes, for these matters, are again, much glossed over in this preperatory, yet especially important period.
How after all, are we to explain the apparently very quick alliance of forces, at once joining the Cortes faction with a great deal of locals? Diaz at least offers a mostly coherent story, although somewhat anachronistic and out of order.
In Diaz chapter xlv and xlvi, he goes into some detail announcing that these negotiations, in Quiahuiztlan and not in Cempoala, happened, despite being interrupted by the Mexica 'tax-collectors'. Richly dressed representatives from the interior who did not pay much attention to the Spaniards but acted like they owned the place, telling only the locals that they demanded twenty slaves to be taken away and sacrificed by the Mexica. After they passed through, Cortes summoned the locals and asked them what it meant. They understood that these were to gather slaves and sacrifice them to win favor of the Mexica god Huichilobos and thus, gain victory over the newcomers in battle.
"... because, they said, Montezuma says he wants to take us to be his slaves. Cortes consoled them and said they should not be afraid, that he was there with all of us and would punish the Mexicans." [p. 82]
This is how Diaz ends his chapter xlvi. The next thing Cortes did, according to Diaz in chapter xlvii, was order these 'tax-collectors' to be seized and shackled. At first the locals were shocked and horrified. But they did it. Then Cortes announced that the news of this should be spread and all other chieftains should no longer pay tax or obedience to Montezuma and that if there were other tax-collectors about, that he should be told about it.
"That news spread throughout the province because the fat cacique immediately sent messengers to make it known, and the chieftains who had come in the company of those tax collectors also announced it, each immediately breaking away to go to his town.... Because such marvelous and important things were happening, that they said that human men would not have dared to do this, but teules, which is what they called the idols they worshipped. For this reason, from that time on, they called us teules, which is, as I have said, either gods or demons, and which I say teules in this acount, where our people are mentioned, you know that it is said of us." [p. 83]
Cortes then constructed another deception to gain more power over his new freinds. He ordered two of the shackled Mexica officials to be secretly stolen so that it would look as though they escaped. These were then brought to him and with interpreters instructed to return to Motecuhzoma and explain who captured them, that they were rescued by the Spaniards and that their captors would be scolded by Cortes himself. This they gladly agreed to and were allowed to be taken by the Spaniards far enough away to make their escape all the way to the interior and beyond the lands of the Cempoala.
The next day the locals were surprised the Mexica had escaped and were ready to sacrifice the others to show their loyalty to Cortes. But he acted surprised and scolded them for not doing what they were told. He then seized the other Mexica captured, saying that he would secure them himself and gave orders they be taken to the boats where they could more securely be held.
This deception worked and the local chiefs then,
"... promised they would be with us in everything we commanded them to do, and they would assemble their forces against Montezuma and all his allies. Here they pledged obedience to His Majesty before Diego de Godoy, the notary, and they sent to tell the rest of the towns of that province everything that had happened. Because they now gave no tribute at all and the tax collectors did not appear, there was no limit to their happiness over having been freed from that domination." [p. 85]It was at this time, Diaz asserts that the Spaniards decided to establish Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, with 'more than thirty mountain towns' as supporters, in his chapters xlviii, liv. This is still another version or part of the story revolving around the set up of Vera Cruz.
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All quotes from Bernal Díaz de Castillo: The True History of the Conquest of New Spain translated with an introduction and notes by Janet Burke and Ted Humphrey, Indianapolis, Hackett Publishing Co, Inc. 2012
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