One of the
jewels was an emerald, cut in a pyramidal shape, of so extraordinary a
size, that the base was as broad as the palm of the hand! The
collection was still further augmented by specimens of many of the
natural products, as well as of animals peculiar to the country.
The army wrote a letter to accompany that of Cortes, in which they
expatiated on his manifold services, and besought the emperor to
ratify his proceedings and confirm him in his present authority. The
important mission was intrusted to two of the general's confidential
officers, Quinones and Avila. It proved to be unfortunate. The
agents touched at the Azores, where Quinones lost his life in a brawl.
Avila, resuming his voyage, was captured by a French privateer, and
the rich spoils of the Aztecs went into the treasury of his Most
Christian Majesty. Francis the First gazed with pardonable envy on the
treasures which his imperial rival drew from his colonial domains; and
he intimated his discontent by peevishly expressing a desire "to see
the clause in Adam's testament which entitled his brothers of
Castile and Portugal to divide the New World between them." Avila
found means, through a private hand, of transmitting his letters,
the most important part of his charge, to Spain, where they reached
the court in safety.
While these events were passing, affairs in Spain had been
taking an unfavourable turn for Cortes.
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