I had sent orders to hasten their march. In our skirmishes we killed fifty or sixty of them, without receiving any injury, although they fought with great spirit and courage, but as we were on horseback, we of course had the advantage in the attack, and could retreat without danger. As soon as they perceived the approach of my main body, they withdrew, and left us the field of battle.

They had scarcely gone when two of my Zempoullan envoys came up, with several deputies from the province, who called themselves caciques. I was assured that these caciques had no share in what had happened, but that it was entirely owing to the inhabitants of some of the villages, who had acted without their knowledge. They said that they were sorry for their conduct, and would pay me for the horses which had been killed, and that they wished to become my friends and to treat me with hospitality. I thanked them, and passed the following night by the side of a rivulet, a league from the field of battle, as it was late and my men were fatigued. Notwithstanding all their protestations I kept constantly on the watch, in the midst of my guards and centinels, both on foot and on horseback, until day-break, when I resumed my march, having made the best disposition in my power of my scouts, advanced guard, and main body.

We had scarcely set out when we were met by the other two Zempoullan messengers, who were weeping, and informed me that they had been bound with an intention of being put to death, but had the good fortune to effect their escape in the night. I had hardly time to congratulate them on their safety, when I perceiv-. ed a multitude of Indians well armed advancing, who after uttering a loud cry, immediately commenced the battle with a shower of arrows,

I ordered my interpreters to remonstrate with them, but the more efforts I made to persuade them to peace, the more determined they appeared to be to injure us. I then changed my mode of proceeding, and we began to defend ourselves. We fought the whole day until sunset, attacked on all sides by a hundred thousand men, and with only six cannons, five or six musquets, forty archers, and the thirteen horsemen who remained, we made great destruction among the enemy, without suffering any injury ourselves, except from fatigue and hunger. A proof that the God of armies fought for us, for without divine aid it was impossible that we should have escaped unhurt from the hands of such a numerous host, no less skilful than courageous.

The next night I took post in a small tower containing some idols, and the following morning at day-break, leaving my artillery under a guard of two hundred men, and taking with me the cavalry, one hundred infantry, and seven hundred Indians, I marched against the enemy before they had time to collect, burned five or six of their villages, made prisoners of four hundred men and women, and returned to my camp without loss, though constantly

fighting on the retreat. Early the next morning an assault was made upon my camp by the enemy, who amounted to upward of one hundred and forty-nine thousand men; they attacked us with such courage that some of them penetrated into the camp, and fought the Spaniards hand to hand. We defended ourselves with bravery, and God assisting us, in four hours we were intrenched and secured from danger in case of a new attack.

Before day the next morning I quitted my intrenchments unperceived by the enemy, with the horse, a hundred foot, and the Indians, and burned ten towns, one of which consisted of more than three thousand houses. Here I experienced an obstinate resistance, but as we fought for our religion, for your majesty's service, and under the banners of the cross and the holy virgin,” God granted us a signal victory. We killed great numbers of them without losing any of our own men, but in the afternoon, finding that the Indians were collecting their forces, I ordered a retreat, and we returned to our camp without loss.

The next day several caciques sent deputations to me, with professions of repentance, and offers of submission, accompanied with presents of provisions and some feathers, which are highly prized by these people. I remonstrated with them on the baseness of their conduct, but told them that I would notwithstanding forgive them and become their friend, if they were sincerely disposed to adopt a different one. The next day more than fifty, who appeared to be persons of distinction, came to my camp on pretence of bringing provisions, but in reality for the purpose of examining attentively its various parts and entrances. On receiving information from the Zempoullans that these men were spies, I had one of them seized, unknown to the others, and taking him in private with my interpreters, threatened him with the severest punishment unless he confessed the truth. He acknowledged that Sintegalf the chief general of their country, was with his army

* One of these standards, on which the Virgin was represented, is still preserved in the secretary's office; the other exhibiting the cross, is in the church of St. Francis, at Mexico.

This is the same officer who by Bernal Diaz is called Xicotinga the younger. He (Cortez) then inquired relative to the power of Xicotinga and the nature of his command. They informed him that the army now assembled consisted of the quotas brought by five chiefs, each of which was ten thousand men. These chiefs were Xicotinga the elder, father of the general, Maxicatzin, Chihimecatecle, Tepanaceca cacique of Topeyanco, and a cacique named Guexbein. Thus fifty thousand warriors were now ranged under the banner of Xicotinga, which was a white bird with the wings spread, resembling an ostrich. Each division of the troops had also its own marks of distinction. This we found to be the case, and that each cacique bore them in the manner of our nobility in Castile; although when we were first informed of it by our prisoners we disbelieved it.-B. Diaz, p. 97.

A chief or general commanded the troops of the Tlascalans. The soldiers had in their quivers two arrows, on which were engraved the

concealed behind some hills in front of my camp; that it was his intention to attack me the following night, since the day was found to be unfavourable for that purpose, it being of the greatest importance that his men should be freed from the fear of the horses and the fire arms. He likewise added that Sintegal had sent them to examine the construction of our camp, and to discover some means of surprising us, and burning our straw barracks.

I had then another seized and interrogated, in a similar manner, who confirmed the account given by the first. After which five or six others were examined, whose answers were the same. I next ordered the hands of these fifty spies to be cut off, and sent them back to their general with this message: "That either by night or day he or any of his men might see who we were." I then strengthened my camp with some additional fortifications, and having stationed my sentries at their posts, remained on the watch till sunset. In the dusk of the evening the enemy came down along the vallies, expecting by that means to approach near us without being perceived, in order by surrounding us, to be the better enabled to execute their design. Well informed of their movements, I thought it imprudent to await and permit them to approach, as under cover of the night they might succeed in burning our camp. With this view I advanced to meet them with all my horse, in hopes to disperse, or at least prevent them from reaching the camp. I fell upon those who were nearest; as soon as they saw the horse they fled as fast and as silently as possible, secreting themselves behind some fields of grain, with which almost the whole country was covered, abandoning the provisions which they had brought with them, in the full expectation of taking us The enemy having withdrawn I permitted my troops to rest for several days, during which I contented myself with merely driving off, with my detached parties, those Indians who came to harrass us by skirmishing, or to intimidate us with their cries.

Having recovered a little from our fatigues, I left my camp by night, after the first round, with a hundred foot, all the horse, and my Indian allies. I had hardly proceeded a league, when five of the horses fell, nor could we by any means compel them to go on. I then ordered them to be taken back as soon as possible, and continued my route, although all my men urged me to return, considering the accident as a sinister omen. I attacked several towns, in which we killed great numbers of Indians,

names of their two ancient heroes; this was in order to perpetuate the names of those who had procured their liberty. When they were in presence of the enemy, they discharged one of these arrows, and it was a point of honour to recover it, even at the risk of their lives. Their obligation to regain this arrow was a spur to their valour, and an incentive to fall upon the enemy with intrepidity, of which they gave a striking proof at the siege of Mexico.-Cortas Americanas, di Conti Carli.

but were prevented from setting fire to the buildings, lest it should discover us to the people in the vicinity, and at length about daybreak came to a city consisting of more than twenty thousand houses. Being taken by surprise, the men ran out into the streets unarmed and naked, as well as the women and children. As I saw they could make no resistance, I began to ravage the place, when the chief men came to me, besought my pardon, and begged me not to injure them, requesting to be received as your majesty's subjects, and my friends, promising in future to be wholly obedient to my orders. They then accompanied me to a fountain, and supplied me with provisions in abundance. I consented to make peace with them and returned to my camp, where I found my men in great apprehension for my safety, in consequence of the five horses having returned; but when they learned the victory which God had been pleased to grant us, and the submission of a part of the province, they indulged themselves in the most extravagant demonstrations of joy.

I acknowledge to your majesty that our fears were great on finding ourselves in the midst of an unknown country, surrounded by innumerable enemies, and without hope of assistance. Several times have I overheard parties of my soldiers compare me to Peter the Collier, who knew well enough where he was, but could not find the way to get out. Others considered me as a fool or a madman, whose schemes ought not to be encouraged, but that on the contrary it was absolutely necessary to quit me if I would not consent to accompany them and return by the shortest road. They even went so far as several times to press me to return, and I had great difficulty in persuading them to remain, by representing to them that their services and their lives were due to your majesty; that the present object was to acquire for their sovereign the most important country in the world; that no Spaniard had ever yet incurred the disgrace of deserting his standard in so cowardly a manner; that farther, as good Christians it was their duty to fight the enemies of our holy faith, and by that means to merit a splendid recompense in the other world; and in this a degree of glory never before attained by any of the human race. I observed that God had manifestly fought for us, and that to him Lothing was impossible, which was apparent in our victories, in which so many of our enemies had been destroyed, without the loss of a single man on our part. I promised them your majesty's favour if they continued faithful, and threatened them with the whole weight of your displeasure, in case of their disobedience and defection. By such remonstrances, and the allowance of a small advance of pay, I at length succeeded in restoring their courage and confidence, and have now brought them to do all that I could wish.

At ten the next morning Sintegal, the captain general, accompanied by fifty of the nobles, came to request me, in behalf of Magicatzin, governor-general of the republic, to receive them

as subjects of your majesty, and to grant them my friendship and forgiveness, for having attacked us, through ignorance of who we were. They observed that never having had a master, but living from time immemorial in a state of independence, free from the domination of Montezuma and his ancestors, who had subdued the whole world besides, and preferring to a state of vassalage the privations of the most necessary articles, such as salt and cotton, which were not produced in their country, they had thought it their duty to defend their liberty by all possible means; but since they perceived that neither their numbers, stratagems, nor exertions could avail, they esteemed submission, preferable to death, and the destruction of their families and habitations.

I replied, that they had themselves been the cause of their own misfortunes; that I had come among them as a friend on the recommendation of the Zampoullans, and had sent them deputies to inform them of my intentions, and the pleasure it would give me to cultivate their friendship; that they had in the first place attacked me unexpectedly, whilst I was on my way in perfect security; that they had afterwards endeavoured to deceive me by pretended repentance and false protestations; whilst at the same time they were making preparations to attack me anew when I expected it the least. In short, I reproached them with all the plots and treacheries which they had endeavoured to execute. I however accepted their submission, and the offer which they made me of their persons and property, since which they have not deceived me in a single instance, and I trust that hereafter they will prove good and faithful subjects.

I remained six or seven days in my camp without quitting it, as I thought it not prudent to confide in people who had so frequently deceived me. They, however, requested me so earnestly to visit Tascalteca, where their caciques lived, that at length I yielded and proceeded to that capital which was about six leagues from my camp. I was surprised at its size and magnificence. It is longer and stronger than Grenada,* contains as many and as handsome buildings, and is much more populous than that city at the time of its conquest. It is also much better supplied with corn, poultry, game, fresh-water fish, pulse, and other excellent vegetables. There are in the market each day thirty thousand persons, including buyers and sellers, without reckoning the merchants and petty dealers dispersed over the city. In this market may be bought every necessary of life, clothes, shoes, feathers of all kinds, ornaments of gold and silver, as well wrought as in any part of the world; various kinds of earthenware of a superior

*"Grenada contained sixty thousand houses; when it was conquered by Ferdinand and Isabella, on the 6th of January, 1491. Allowing five persons to a house, Grenada must have contained three hundred thousand souls.-Lettre Americane.