1. Aguirre, with his eighty well-armed soldiers in good order for battle, left Margarita for Punta de Piedras, and, having arrived there, discovered that the provincial had set sail, and was steering towards the city. Aguirre marched back as quick as he could, so as to arrive before the ship, and be fully prepared for his enemy. The maestro del campo Martin Perez, hearing of Aguirre's return, went out to meet him, with the arquebusiers who had remained with him, and gave him a grand salute and joyous reception. They embraced each other, as if they had not met for a long time, entering arm in arm into the fortress, where Aguirre found the same order amongst the imprisoned inhabitants, as when he had departed.

One of his captains of infantry, named Christoval Garcia, who had been a caulker, either from the enmity he bore the maestro del campo, or because he desired to have his post, succeeded in discrediting him with Aguirre; for, knowing his chief's bitter and suspicious disposition, and that it would require but little to get him on bad terms with the maestro del campo, or even to have him killed; and giving a colour of truth to his malice, by an appearance of zeal for the honour of his general, he said to him that same day, that the maestro del campo harboured much evil in his heart, that he had asked many of his friends to kill Aguirre on the first opportunity, and to take the men and ships to France, for which purpose he had got his friends together, when they agreed to carry out his views