Cortes reached San Domingo at a time when Ovando was still governor. His very appearance secured for him a favorable reception. He was prepossessing, pleasing of countenance, and unaffectedly friendly in his contact with every one, but his peculiar qualities of disposition made him still more the favorite. He was open-hearted, indulgent, and magnanimous, but he was also shrewd, far-sighted, and reserved. He spoke maliciously of no one and was good-humored in conversation. He was always ready to confer favors but he could not bear to have them mentioned. These meritorious qualities soon made him a favorite with every one. Immediately upon arrival he went to pay his respects to the governor, but Ovando was absent, attending to affairs in the interior. His secretary, however, received him cordially, and assured him it would not be difficult for him to obtain an abundance of land from Ovando upon which he could settle. Cortes answered: “I have come here to provide myself with gold, not to plough like a field laborer.” Upon his return Ovando induced the young man to give up his ambitious designs, for a short time at least, and convinced him that he would certainly become richer if he settled down as a planter than if he trusted himself to chance. Cortes therefore secured land and an allotment of Indians in the settlement of Azua. The monotony of his life was often relieved by the part he took as an adventurer in warlike expeditions, especially in the company of Velasquez, when the latter as Ovando’s representative was forced to suppress uprisings of the natives. In this way he became better known to Ovando, who was exceedingly anxious to retain his services. But as his young, courageous spirit was eager for more important undertakings, he applied for and received permission to accompany Velasquez on his expedition to Cuba in 1511. At last he had an opportunity to display his courage and activity. He quickly rose. In a short time the important position of Alcalde of St. Iago was assigned to him. A quarrel with Velasquez soon after occurred, which might easily have been fatal to the incautious Cortes, had not the friendship of the two been so strong. Cortes, who was not a hero of virtue, fell in love with a young lady of high rank, named Catalina Xuarez, and had promised to marry her, but put off the fulfilment of his promise so long that he incurred the angry reproaches of the governor. These reproaches naturally led to a coolness between Cortes and his patron, and Cortes decided that he would lay his grievances before Velasquez’ superior in Hispaniola. Other dissatisfied ones joined him and they planned to send a messenger. Cortes was selected, for no other would have ventured to cross secretly in an open boat the distance of eighteen miles to the neighboring island. But the conspiracy was discovered, Cortes was arrested, chained, and placed in close confinement. It is said that Velasquez would have hanged him but for the intercession of friends.