Birth and parentage of Hernan Cortes--His early boyhood--At the age of fourteen he is sent to the University of Salamanca--Proves lazy, and returns home--Leaves his books, and takes to field-sports--Disappointment of his father--Passion of young Cortes for military life--Determines to join the great captain Gonzalo in the wars of Italy, but is disappointed--Resolves to accompany his kinsman Ovando to Hispaniola, but is prevented by an accident--At length reaches Hispaniola in 1504--Kindness of Ovando--Restlessness of Cortes--His third disappointment--Accompanies Diego Velasquez in his conquest of Cuba--Imprudence of Cortes--Expedition of Hernandez de Cordova and Juan de Grijalva--Discoveries of Grijalva--Excitement among the Spaniards--Cortes manages to get command of an expedition for the continent--Jealousy of Velasquez--Attempts to stop him at Trinidad and Havana--Enthusiasm among the followers of Cortes Page 13 CHAPTER II. Cortes arrives at Cozumel--Imprudence of Alvarado--Discovery of Geronimo de Aguilar--his wretched condition--The fleet reaches Tabasco--Hostility of the natives--Cortes offers to treat with them; they refuse--Notwithstanding their opposition, he makes his landing--Defeats them on the great plain of Ceutla--Receives Doña Marina as a present--He erects a cross upon the plain--The fleet sails for St. Juan de Ulua--Reaches that harbor--Kindness of the natives--Interview with Teutchlile, their chief--Demands that he may see the Emperor Montezuma, and sends presents to him--Alarm of Montezuma--He refuses to see the strangers, but sends presents to them--Cortes again demands to see him--Anger and fear of the Emperor--Commands Cortes to leave his empire, yet sends him further presents.....31 CHAPTER III. Teutchlile arrives at the Spanish camp with the commands of Montezuma--Finds Cortes in the midst of difficulties with his men--Leaves the camp angry--Murmurs of the men--Management of Cortes--Commences the settlement of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz--Quiets the complaints of the discontented--The Cacique of Chempoalla invites him to visit him--Cortes accepts the invitation--Interview between them--The settlement is removed to Quiabislan--Friendship of the Caciques of Chempoalla and Quiabislan--The tax-gatherers of Montezuma arrive--Cortes arrests them--The Totonacas become his friends--Visits the Cincapacingas--Makes friends of them--Imprudence of Cortes in the temple of Chempoalla--Sends messengers with presents to the King of Spain--Plot of Escudero and Centeno to stop them--They are put to death--Cortes destroys his fleet, and prepares to march toward Mexico--Arrival of Alonzo de Pineda upon the coast--Stratagem of Cortes--Sets out on his march--Passes Xalapan, Socachema, and Texotla, and arrives at Xocotlan--Interview with the Cacique--Determines to pursue his journey through the province of Tlascala.....46 CHAPTER IV.