he would guide them to that rich and beautiful country for which they were panting--a country in which every man should find wealth and honor. He then took an oath that he would never forsake such faithful and trusty followers. The air now rang with their shouts. While some cried out that they would stand by Cortes for ever, others uttered terrible threats against his enemies. He was now fixed in his command; he had the hearts of all his men. They looked upon him as a leader chosen by themselves--their noble and bold friend and companion, who was to lead them on to victory. Pedro Barba at once wrote to Velasquez, telling him that it was impossible to fulfil his orders; and Cortes sent him a second letter, informing him that on the next day he should sail from Havana. The fleet of Cortes now consisted of eleven vessels, one of which was of one hundred tons, three of seventy, and the rest only open barks. His followers numbered six hundred and seventeen persons. Of these, one hundred and nine were sailors and mechanics; the remainder were to act as soldiers. As to regular soldiers, there were among them all, only sixteen horsemen, thirty musketeers, and thirty-two cross-bowmen; the others were armed only with spears and swords, the use of which they little understood. To add somewhat to their strength, however, there were on board the fleet “ten cannons and four falconets.” Instead of shields or coats of mail to defend them from such enemies as they should meet, which articles would have proved heavy in a warm climate, their leader had supplied them all with jackets quilted with cotton. This was the whole force, with which Cortes was now prepared to seek and subdue the new continent. To urge his followers onward the more, Cortes mingled with their dreams of glory, the thought that they were to extend the religion of our blessed Saviour. The spirit of the age, and the religion in which they had been trained, allowed this idea, and they really supposed that their warlike expedition, among other things, was to spread the gospel of peace. Strange thought, yet it was theirs! The Spaniards therefore hailed with enthusiasm the banner which Cortes raised over them. It was a standard of velvet, richly embroidered with gold, bearing the royal arms and a large cross, together with this motto: “_Companions, let us follow the cross, for under this guidance we shall conquer._” CHAPTER II.