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The cacique of the place where we were, being alked by us relative 

 to the road to Mexico, recommended that by Cholula; but our allies 

 ftrongly advifed us againft going that way, on account of the treacherous 

 difpofition of the people, and that the town had always a Mexican gar- 

 rifon in it. Cortes demanding twenty of the principal perfons to attend 

 him from this place, we now quitted it in order to go to Tlafcala, by 

 advice of our allies, who promifed us every advantage from that nation, 

 and we proceeded thither, fending meflengers before us with a letter 

 and alfo a prefent of a crimfon velvet cap. I muft obferve that although 

 our letters were not legible to thefe people, they knew that fuch a thing 

 was as it were an authority, or fancftion of the meffage that was to be 

 delivered, and of the office of thofe who brought it, and as fuch it was 

 fent upon all occafions. 



Proceeding with our accuftomed order, we arrived at a village in 

 the country of Xalacingo, and from thence fent two of our allies, with 

 the letter, to Tlafcala. At this place we received intelligence, that the 

 whole nation was already in arms againft us, on the fuppofition, from 

 the number of perfons who attended us, of thofe nations which were 

 fubje<5t to Montezuma, that we were in alliance with the Mexican 

 power, whofe inveterate enemies they were. Having fufpicion of 

 treachery from the Mexicans by thefe appearances, they inftantly on 

 their arrival feized our meflengers, whofe return we impatiently waited 

 for during two days, which Cortes employed in exertions for the con- 

 verfion of the Indians to our holy church, by his advice and exhorta- 

 tions. He alfo demanded the attendance of twenty principal inhabi- 

 tants, who readily joined him, and we at the expiration of that time 

 continued our march, during which we met the meflengers whom we 

 had fent to Tlafcala, and who had made their efcape, owing to the 

 negligence or connivance of their guards. 



Thefe Indians had not yet recovered from the terror into which 

 they were put by what they had feen and heard, for the people of 

 Tlafcala vowed defl:ru6tion to us, and all our adherents. The fl:andard 



was 



