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ures of peace. We
determined upon taking them by surprise during night-time; not with the
intention of injuring, killing, wounding, or taking the inhabitants
prisoners, but merely to procure provisions, frighten them a little, and
make new offers of peace according as circumstances might be. This
township was called Zumpanzingo, and was the chief of many smaller ones.
The district Tecodcungapacingo, where we had taken up our quarters,
stood likewise under it; the whole country round about moreover being
covered with straggling houses and villages. Cortes fell in with this
proposal, and we accordingly commenced our march shortly before daybreak
with all our men who were best able to bear the fatigue, six of our
cavalry, ten crossbow-men, and eight musketeers. The command was taken
by Cortes himself, although he was suffering from the tertian ague. For
the rest all necessary precautions were taken for our camp.

We had marched to a distance of about six miles before daylight
appeared, and the wind which blew across the snow mountains was so keen,
that we shook again with cold. Our horses likewise felt the frost very
sensibly. Two of them indeed got the gripes and trembled like aspen
leaves, at which we were greatly concerned, for we thought they would
have died. Cortes therefore ordered them back to our camp. We arrived in
front of Zumpanzingo before sunrise. The inhabitants, having observed
our approach, had fled from their dwellings. Their minds full of the
most horrible ideas they had formed of us, they kept crying out to one
another to beware of the teules. They kill all, it was said, and spare
neither young nor old. Finding how greatly they feared us, we halted in
a courtyard until daylight had fully broken forth, that we might not
injure any of the people in the dark. On the summit of the highest
temples in the township we observed some papas and other old men of
distinction, who, when they found we remained quiet without doing the
least harm, took courage and came down to Cortes. They commenced by
making excuses for not having sent us provisions, or any one with offers
of peace, though we had demanded both of them. They assured us that no
one was to blame for all this but the commander Xicotencatl, who had
forbidden them, and was at that moment stationed in the immediate
neighbourhood. They could not help feeling afraid of this man, as he had
all their warriors as well as all those out of the land of Tlascalla
under his banners. Cortes answered them by means of our interpreters,
Doña Marina and Aguilar, whom we carried along with us wherever we went.
They were told to allay their fears, and desire the caziques of the
chief township to come and make peace with us, as war would only bring
misfortune down upon them.

This was the message which the papas were to deliver; for we had not yet
received any answer from the other ambassadors whom we had sent to the
chiefs of Tlascalla, neither had their four distinguished personages yet
arrived. Previous to their departure the papas, however, brought us more
than forty fowls and turkeys, besides two women to bake our bread.
Cortes thanked them very kindly for this present, and demanded twenty
Indians to carry them to our camp. These immediately came forward
without evincing any signs of fear, carried the provisions and remained
with us until evening. After presenting them with a few trifles they
returned highly delighted to their homes. As we did no one any injury,
the inhabitants greatly extolled our kind behaviour; the papas and chief
personages also informing the captain-general, Xicotencatl, that they
had given us provisions and two females; which grieved him sorely. The
same information was sent to the elder caziques, who were delighted when
they learnt how we could have destroyed them all during the night, but
that instead of doing any harm we had only made offers of peace. They,
therefore, ordered provisions to be sent us daily, with everything else
we might require. The orders to the four principal personages who were
commissioned to make terms of peace with us were also renewed; they now
no longer delayed, but repaired to our quarters and brought us
provisions and other presents. We then returned to our camp, much
pleased with the victuals and the Indian females.

CHAPTER LXIX.

 _How we found on our return to our encampment that new intrigues had
 been set on foot; and the answer Cortes gave to certain
 representations which were made to him._

On returning to our head-quarters from Zumpanzingo with a good supply of
provisions, and delighted with the peace we had concluded with the
inhabitants, we met with nothing but complaints and discontent. We heard
of nothing else than the imminent dangers we were daily exposed to in
this campaign; nor did our arrival mend matters. Foremost among the
discontented were those again who possessed settlements and Indian
commendaries at Cuba, nor did they confine themselves to murmuring in
secret, but seven of them, whose names, for honour's sake, I will
refrain from mentioning, confederated together, and repaired to the
quarters of Cortes. One of them was chosen spokesman. He was a man
eloquent in address, and perfect master of the subject he was about to
speak on.

He began in the kindly tone of giving advice, and desired Cortes to
consider our wounds, how disabled and knocked up we were by the
excessive hardships we had to undergo day and night, by constant
battling, patrolling the country, standing at the outposts, and
reconnoitring about. They had calculated, he said, that we had already
lost fifty-five of our men since our departure from Cuba. Neither did we
know how matters stood with our garrison at Vera Cruz. Though the
Almighty had everywhere granted us victory, it was merely out of the
abundance of his mercy towards us. It was not right to calculate too
long upon his mercy and forbearance, for that would be tempting him. The
pitcher goes to the well until it is broken, and one morning or other we
should undoubtedly be sacrificed to the idols. God in his mercy might
certainly avert this; but then also it was necessary we should return to
Vera Cruz and there remain quiet, where we should be surrounded by our
friends and allies, the tribes of the Totonaque mountains, until we had
fitted out a vessel and sent to Diego Velasquez and to the islands for a
fresh supply of men and other necessaries. What a good thing if our
vessels had been preserved, or at least a couple, in case of accident.
But, alas! he had followed the advice of men who did not consider the
instability of fortune, and who had totally destroyed the last means of
escape.

"May God forbid," said they, "that you and those whose advice it was,
may not yet have to rue it. The measure of our miseries is already full;
our condition begins to be insupportable, and the life we lead is worse
than that of beasts of burden. When these have gone their day's journey,
their load is taken off, food is given them, and they

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