Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-07-30
ALvARADo AND sANDovAL.
The Two spanish soldiers After Whom Our Captured Gunboats
 Were Named

were Named.
 The little twin gunboats Akarado and sandoyal, until recently part of the Spanish navy, but now flying the stars and stripes, are objects of present interest; yet it i1 probable that few persons know for whom these yes sells were named. Pedro de Alvarado and Gonzales tie Sapdoval were the two favorite captains of Fernando Cortes, the famous conqueror of Mexico. Pedro de Alyarado, reckless. daring, cruel and avaricious to the last degree, still stands out as one of the most pie turesque of the Spanish adyenturers. He had long yellow hair which flowed in ringlets over his shoulders, and which, combined with clear complex. ion and blue eyes to give him peculiar sunny look, from which the Aztect came to call him 'Tonatiah, Child oi the Sum- He accompanied Griyalza on his first voyage to Yucatan. and joined Cortes as q cavalier of rank and position. His cruelty and rapaeity did more than any one thing to heap diff cuities i'll the way of the eonqueror Ii
 was he who, in the absence of his com mander from the City of Mexico, caused q general massacre of the Aztec nobility, which hastened if it did not bring about the uprising which re. suited in the expulsion of the Span. iards from the city, and almost in their overthrow.
 1t is related of Alyarado that during l"La Noche Triste" (the sorrowful nigllt). when Gortes finally retreated from Mexico, that Alvarado, being in charge of the rear guard, was cut of from the remainder of the army Be hind and on each side were bowling multitudes of enemies, back in the city loomed the stone of sacrifice; before him was canal of unknown width. Never hesitating, he seized. his lance, placed it firmly upon the bodies oi friends and foes which choked the opening, and with mighy effort cleared the ehasm, which is known to- day as sAlyarado's Leap" He followed his commander to the end as a trusted lieutenant, and after the conquest. himself conquered the province of Guatemala. His adventurous career was suddenly ended by a fall from his horse as he WAS travelling the noun. tainous districts of that province.
 Quite different character was Con- Izalvo de Sandoval. of whom Cortes said that he was fit to command great armies. Modest. retiring he joined the little band of the eonqnistaderes al- most unknown. He always spoke with a slight lisp, and loved more than any thing else his chestnut mare, Motlla whom he shod with shoes of silver. Ais merits soon attracted the eyes of Cortes, who made him one of his cap tains. If there was d distant eXpedi- ton or delicate piece of political en- gineering. Sandoval was invariably chosen to perform it; not because he WAS sl1illful politician, but because he was honest, temperate and possessed that rarest of gifts-a good judgment. .Ccrtes always addressed him as son Sandoval for he was very young, be- ing scarcely 24 years of age
 , To show the estimation in which Cortes held his two captains, it is said that at one time during the siege of Mexico he sent Sandoval on an expedi- ton around the chain of lakes wfs-- h enclosed the devoted city. And look after Capt. Alyarado,' he said, in part ing, Test some mischief come to him" AIyarado being at that time in cem- mand of a detachment at some distance from the headquarters. The fiery Al- yarado was good lieutenant but San- doval was Cortes otherself, upon whose judgment he depended as upon his own.
 After the conquest they went to- gether to Spain. where Sandovnl soon after sickened and died of fever. and passed away, lying in his command- CTS arm, in uretched wayside inn.- Detroit Free Press.