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CHAPTER LXXIV.

 _How the old caziques of Tlascalla arrived in our camp and invited
 Cortes, and all of us to visit their city, and what further
 happened._

The old caziques of Tlascalla finding that we did not arrive in their
city, determined to call upon us themselves, and set out, some on foot
and some in sedans and a species of hand-barrow. Besides those I
mentioned above, (Maxixcatzin and the blind Xicotencatl, the elder,)
there were Guaxolacima, Chichimeclatecl, and Tecapaneca of Topoyanco.
Their suite was composed of several distinguished personages. When they
arrived in presence of Cortes they paid him the profoundest respect,
making him and us who stood around three deep bows. They likewise
perfumed with copal, touched the ground with their hands, and kissed it.

The elder Xicotencatl then addressed Cortes as follows:

"Malinche! Malinche! often have we begged of you to forgive the hostile
attacks we made upon you. We have already explained to you that we
imagined you were in league with Motecusuma. Indeed, if we had known
before what we now do, instead of refusing you admission, we would not
only have marched out to meet you by the shortest route with a quantity
of provisions, but have come to the very coast where your vessels lie,
in order to conduct you hither. But, as you have now pardoned all this,
I am come with all the caziques to beg of you to accompany us
immediately to our city, and to construct in good part the reception
which we intend to give you there according to the best of our
abilities. Stay all other business for the present, Malinche, we beg of
you, and go with us now. We greatly deplore that the Mexicans should
have attempted to poison your mind with all manner of falsehoods
respecting us, and that this should alone have withheld you from paying
us a visit. We are quite accustomed to their slanders. You must not
believe them, no, nor even listen to them, for all their actions and
words are full of deceit."

To which Cortes said, with serenity depicted on his countenance, "He
knew years ago that we should one time visit this country. They were a
brave people, and he was astonished they should have treated us as
enemies. With regard to the Mexicans who were now present, they were
merely waiting his commands to return to their monarch Motecusuma. He
joyously accepted of their invitation to visit their city, and thanked
them for the provisions they had sent, and also for all their other
kind offers; they might depend upon our services in return. The reason
why he had not visited them before this was solely owing to our want of
men to transport the tepuzques," so they termed our cannon. When they
heard this, they appeared exceedingly pleased, and immediately cried
out, "How! was it nothing but this, and you would not tell us?" And,
sure enough, scarcely half an hour elapsed before there were 500 porters
on the spot, so that next morning early we were enabled to set out for
the metropolis of Tlascalla. We marched forward as usual, with the heavy
guns, the horse, the crossbow-men, and musketeers, in close order.
Cortes had also requested the Mexican ambassadors to accompany us, in
order that they might convince themselves that the people of Tlascalla
were sincere. To allay their apprehensions, he assured them they should
live in his own quarters, and not be molested.

Before, however, I proceed with my narrative, I must explain how it
happened that Cortes was termed Malinche by all the tribes through whose
territories we had passed. I myself in future will call him by that
name, excepting there where it would be improper. This name was given to
him because our interpretress Doña Marina was always about his person,
particularly when ambassadors arrived, and in our negotiations with the
several caziques, as on those occasions she interpreted for both
parties. They therefore called him the captain of Marina, and contracted
that appellation in the word Malinche.[29] This name was likewise given
to Juan Perez de Artenga of Puebla, because he always accompanied Doña
Marina, and to Geronimo de Aguilar for a similar reason. The former of
these two even retained the name of Juan Perez Malinche. Our entry into
the metropolis of Tlascalla took place twenty-four days after we had
crossed the confines of the country, the 23d day of September, in the
year of our Lord 1519.

[29] For Marina, as appears from several passages in Torquemada and
other writers, was called by the inhabitants Malintziu. (p. 176.)

CHAPTER LXXV.

 _How we marched into the city of Tlascalla, and were received by the
 old caziques; of the present they made us, and how they brought us
 their daughters and nieces; and what further happened._

When the caziques found that our baggage was moving forward, they
hastened before us to make the necessary preparations for our reception,
and to adorn our quarters with green boughs. We had arrived within a
mile of their city when they again came out to meet us, accompanied by
their daughters, nieces, and other distinguished personages, in which
those of the same kin or same family or tribe kept together. Without
that of Topoyanco, which held the fifth degree, there were four tribes.
The inhabitants of the other townships also kept flocking up, all
distinguished by the national colours of their respective dresses,
which, for want of cotton, were very prettily and neatly manufactured of
coloured nequen. Next came the whole body of papas, of whom there were
great numbers in the temple service. They carried the pans with glowing
embers, and perfumed us. Some of them had on long white cloaks, after
the fashion of surplices with capes, as worn by our canons. The hair of
their heads was long and matted together, so that it would have been an
impossibility to have put it in any shape or order without cutting it
off: besides this, it was completely besmeared with blood, which
trickled down over their ears, for they had been sacrificing that very
day. The nails of their fingers were uncommonly long, and they held down
their heads on approaching us, in token of humility. It was told us that
these men were greatly revered for their religion. The principal
personages now gathered themselves around Cortes' person, and formed a
guard of honour. When we entered the town, the streets and balconies
could scarcely contain the numbers of men and women who had come out to
see us: delight was depicted on every countenance, and twenty baskets
full of roses were brought us, of various colours and sweetly scented,
which were presented to Cortes and the other soldiers whom they
considered officers, and particularly to those who sat on horseback. In
this way we gradually arrived to some spacious courtyards, where
quarters had been prepared for us. Here Xicotencatl the elder and
Maxixcatzin took Cortes by the hand and conducted him into his
apartments. For each of us there was a separate bed, filled with a
species of dried grass, and covered with cloaks of nequen. Our frie

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