Fictitious Report from New Spain

I received permission from the Governor, as you know, to accompany the first exploration into the interior of this new continent under the command of Hernan Cortes. Several of our number, including at least one who first arrived with Captain Columbus, joined the expedition in provisioning the ships with sufficient stores of cassava bread, salt pork, casks of water, horses, and arms for unknown encounters. In all, several hundred men began the journey. We were well supplied, though I do suspect that Captain Cortes overextended himself in borrowing for the trip. Our church's generosity in funding my own share has graciously allowed me to pursue our work at the side of these brave adventurers.

The Captain General included in his provisions a pair of standards and banners that carried the words, "Comrades, let us follow the sign of the holy Cross with true faith, and through it we shall conquer," beneath a cross

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General to burn the ships in order to prevent an over-hasty return by the more faint of heart among us. They also argued that burning the boats would later give work to the artisans among the expedition whose speciality is the art of shipbuilding, and Cortes heeded their advice, cutting off a premature retreat. We began our journey inland, where the Cacique welcomed us at first, with presents and greetings. Eventually, however, they began to resist our advances, and Mutezuma's own brother came to us with gifts and entreaties not to continue our journey. He told us the road was not good and that the city, being built entirely on water (as I hear is the great Venice in Italy), may be entered only by canoe. However, Captain Cortes continued on. When finally we arrived in the capital city, Mutezuma himself came out to greet us. He and Captain Cortes exchanged gifts of necklaces and spoke together as two great leaders might. Dressed as I was in the habit of our order, with my rough cloth tunic of the modest color that has given many to call us the Gray Friars, my cowl, my white knotted belt, and plain sandals, I have always felt the humility that our simple dress was designed to instill in us, especially in the presence o
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Captain Cortes, Cortes Bernal, Bernal Diaz, Cordoba Realizing, Virgin Mary, , Nevertheless Mutezuma's, Captain Columbus, Dona Marina, Gray Friars, captain cortes, diaz del castillo, junipero serra, diaz del, true god, city mutezuma, mexico translated, word god, mutezuma's city, capital city, del castillo, capital city mutezuma,
Approximate Word count = 1542
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)