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the Teulcs were coming to kill them. We halted in a walled inclofure, 

 imtil it was light, when certain priefts and old men came from the 

 temples, and apologized for not having attended to our fummons» 

 afcribing their conduct to the threats of Xicotenga. Cortes ordered 

 thefe people to go to their head town and defire the chiefs to attend him, 

 in order to bring about a peace ; for we were as yet ignorant of what 

 had palfed. We obtained here a good fupply of provifions, and the 

 farther advantage, that the Indians formed a favorable opinion of us, 

 which daily gained ground. The chiefs and old men went to Tlafcala, 

 and their reprefentations had fuch an efFed:, that orders were given to 

 all the neighbouring people, to fend in provifions to us. 



Some of our foldiers began now to hold very querulous language } 

 more efpecially thofe who had left good houfes and plantations in the 

 Ifland of Cuba. Seven of them waited at this time upon Cortes, and 

 their fpokefman addreffed him in a prepared oration in the manner of 

 advice, wherein he. reprefented to him, that above fifty-five of our com- 

 panions were dead, and that we were ignorant of the fituation of thofe 

 in Villa Rica. That notwithftanding the mercies which had been 

 fhewn us, it was imprudent to tempt God too often, and it was ne- 

 ceflary to avoid being brought into a worfe fituation than that of Pedro 

 Carbonero, for at prefent there was hardly a hope of efcaping being 

 facrificed to the idols of the natives. But that though it fhould pleafe 

 God to preferve us, ftill it was expedient to return to Villa Rica, and 

 conftrucfl a veffel to fend to Cuba for aflifiiance ; and they lamented the 

 imprudence of having totally deftroyed our (hipping, a deed the rafli- 

 nefs of which could not be parallelled in hiftory. They added, that 

 .though our fituation was worfe than that of beafts of burthen, who if 

 forced to labour have at leaft food and refi:, yet they had hitherto de- 

 fifted from remonftrating, as not thinking the time admitted of it, but 

 that now the enemy were withdrawn and the country feemed peaceable, 

 the prefent opportunity fhould not be omitted to be taken. 



Cortes replied mildly, that he believed there never exifted Spanirti 



foldiers 



