Note 181 — Chapter IX · THE MIGHTY PROJECT IS CONCEIVED. May, 1519.

Bernal Diaz relates with great satisfaction how earnestly the speaker pleaded for his vote, addressing him repeatedly as ‘your worship.’ One reason for their earnestness, he implies, was the superiority in number of the Velazquez party. ‘Los deudos, y amigos del Diego Velazquez, que eran muchos mas que nosotros.’ Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 28-9. He forms this estimate most likely on the proportion of leaders who from jealousy of Cortés, and for other reasons, were addicted to Velazquez; but their men were probably more in favor of the general than of the captains, to judge from the result. The sailors for obvious reasons may have added to the Velazquez number, if not to their strength.