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le, doubly precautious.
Our sharp-shooters were always in advance, the cavalry kept surrounding
our troops, our muskets were loaded, the matches lighted, and, in short,
we were ready for action at a moment's notice.

We first arrived in the small township of Xacatcinco, where the
inhabitants presented us with a golden chain for the neck, some packages
of cotton stuffs, and two Indian females. As above remarked, we
despatched two distinguished personages of Sempoalla to Tlascalla, who
were to announce our approach, and say we came as friends, and hoped
they would receive us as such. We found it the more necessary to send
this message, as we learnt in Xacatcinco, that the whole of Tlascalla
was up in arms against us. They were already informed of our having left
that place, and concluded from the number of warriors we had with us out
of Sempoalla and Xocotlan, tributary to Motecusuma, that we came with
hostile intentions. They had quite concluded we were going to act like
the Mexicans, who always, under some fraudulent pretence or other,
marched into their country when intent upon plunder.

When, therefore, the messengers arrived with our letter and the Flanders
hat, and were about to deliver our commission, they were even refused a
hearing, and immediately thrown into prison. We awaited their return for
two days, during which time Cortes explained to the inhabitants as
usual, the nature of our holy religion, who our emperor was, the
sinfulness of human sacrifices, and the other abominations they
practised. He also demanded twenty of their warriors to accompany us.

These they readily furnished us, and after we had commended ourselves to
the protection of the Almighty, we broke up our quarters on the third
day and marched for Tlascalla. On our route we were met by our two
messengers, who had been secretly released by their friends. All
Tlascalla was making warlike preparations against us. They appeared
quite downcast, and durst scarcely inform us of what they had seen and
heard. Having at last taken courage, they related how they had been
immediately seized and thrown into prison, and what terrible threats had
been thrown out against us and themselves. "Now we will rise up," it
had been told them, "and destroy those whom yon term teules. We shall
soon see whether they are so courageous as you have mentioned. We will
devour both you and them together, for you are come under fraudulent
pretences, and at the instigation and in the spirit of the traitor
Motecusuma."

The messengers might say what they liked in contradiction to this it was
all to no purpose. When Cortes and we others heard this lofty language,
and how they awaited us completely equipped for war, we did not think
altogether so light of the matter; nevertheless, we one and all cried
out, "Well, then, since it cannot be otherwise, forward! for good or ill
luck." We commended ourselves to the protection of God, and unfurled our
standard, which was borne by the ensign Corral. The inhabitants of the
small township, where we passed the night, informed us, that the
Tlascallans would march against us to prevent our entering into their
country. Of this opinion were also our friends of Sempoalla.

As we were marching along, our only discourse was how we should attack
the enemy. Our cavalry was to gallop up three abreast, with lances
fixed, and run the Indians full in the face. At the same time they were
to be particularly upon their guard that the enemy did not lay hold of
the lances with their hands; should such, however, be the case, the
rider was to keep the tighter hold of his lance, give his horse the
spur, and either by a sudden jerk wrest it out of the enemy's grasp, or
drag him along with it.

The reader will perhaps ask, why we took these precautions though we had
not yet come in sight of the foe? I can answer this with Cortes' own
words, who spoke to us as follows: "You are aware, gentlemen, of the
smallness of our numbers, we must, therefore, be the more upon our
guard, and fancy the enemy will each moment fall upon us. Nor is this
sufficient, we must imagine ourselves already fighting, as if the battle
was begun. Every soldier is fond of catching hold of the enemy's lance
with his hand, but considering the smallness of our numbers, we must now
particularly guard ourselves against it. For the rest, you are not in
need of my advice, for I have always found that you do things much
better than I am able to instruct you."

Under similar discourses we had already advanced about eight miles, when
we came up to an enormous entrenchment, built so strongly of stone,
lime, and a kind of hard bitumen, that it would only have been possible
to break it down by means of pickaxes, and if defended would have with
difficulty been taken. We halted on purpose to inspect this
fortification, and Cortes inquired of the Xocotlans, for what purpose it
stood there. They told him that it was built by the Tlascallans, on
whose territory we were now entering, against the great Motecusuma, with
whom they were continually at war, to protect them against his hostile
incursions.[22]

After we had examined this structure for some time, and each expressed
his opinion upon it, Cortes cried out, "Let us follow our standard,
gentlemen! It bears the figure of the holy cross, and in that sign we
shall conquer." To which we unanimously added: "Forward! whatever may
happen; for God is our only strength."

We now continued our march onwards in the cautious manner above
mentioned, and had not proceeded far when our vanguard observed at no
very great distance about thirty Indians, who had been sent out to
reconnoitre; this was immediately communicated to us. They had broad
swords, which are used with both hands, the edges of which are made of
hard flint, and are sharper than our steel swords. They were also armed
with shields, lances, and had feathers stuck in their hair. Cortes
ordered some of our cavalry to go in among them, and try, if possible,
to capture one, but not to inflict any wounds. These were followed at a
distance by five others, to assist them should they fall into an ambush;
the rest of our army marched direct for the narrow pass, but with the
utmost circumspection, as our friends had assured us that we should
undoubtedly meet with a large body of the enemy in some hiding place or
other. When the thirty Indians above mentioned found our cavalry
approaching them, and saw how they beckoned to them with their hands,
they began to retreat slowly, and arranged themselves again in order,
whenever our men attempted to take any of them prisoners. They defended
themselves right valiantly with their swords and lances, wounding
several of our horses. The blood of our men now also began to boil, who,
in return, killed five of the Indians. At that moment a swarm of more
than 3000 Tlascallans rushed furiously from an ambush, pouring forth a
shower of arrows upon our cavalry, who now immediately closed their
ranks. At the same time we fired among the

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