Garay persisted in establishing this settlement, in contempt of the
claims of Cortes, who had already entered into a friendly
communication with the inhabitants of that region. But the crews
experienced such a rough reception from the natives on landing, and
lost so many men, that they were glad to take to their vessels
again. One of these foundered in a storm. The others put into the port
of Vera Cruz to restore the men, much weakened by hunger and
disease. Here they were kindly received, their wants supplied, their
wounds healed; when they were induced, by the liberal promises of
Cortes, to abandon the disastrous service of their employer, and
enlist under his own prosperous banner. The reinforcements obtained
from these sources amounted to full a hundred and fifty men, well
provided with arms and ammunition, together with twenty horses. By
this strange concurrence of circumstances, Cortes saw himself in
possession of the supplies he most needed; that, too, from the hands
of his enemies, whose costly preparations were thus turned to the
benefit of the very man whom they were designed to ruin.
His good fortune did not stop here. A ship from the Canaries
touched at Cuba, freighted with arms and military stores for the
adventurers in the New World. Their commander heard there of the
recent discoveries in Mexico, and, thinking it would afford a
favourable market for him, directed his course to Vera Cruz.
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