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might judge of the bulk of thefe people, they brought us a bone which 

 had belonged to one of them, fo large, that when placed upright it was 

 as high as a middling fized man ; it was the bone between the knee and 

 the hip ; I ftood by it, and it was of my height, though I am as tall 

 as the generality of men. They brought alfo pieces of other bones of 

 great fize, but much confumed by time; but the one I have mentioned 

 was entire; we were ailonilhed at thefe remains, and thought that they 

 certainly demonftrated the former exiftence of giants. This bone we 

 fent to Cailille for his Majefly's infpe^tion, by the firft perfons who 

 went on our affairs from hence. The chiefs alfo told us how their idols 

 had predicted, that men fhould come from diftant parts where the fun 

 fifes, to fubjugate the country, and that they believed us to be thofe of 

 whom their gods had fpoken. Cortes replied that it certainly was the 

 cafe, that we were fent by our monarch to cultivate fricndfhip with 

 them, and that he hoped we fliould be the inflruments of their falva- 

 tion, to which we one and all faid, Amen. 



By this time the cavaliers rny readers, are I fear tirecj of the con- 

 verfation with the Tlafcalans ; I muft however mention fome other 

 things which occurred here. There was a volcano near Guaxocingo, 

 which at this time threw up great quantities of flames. Captain Diego 

 de Ordas went to examine it, attended by two foldiers and fome prin- 

 cipal Indians. The natives were afraid to approach nearer to it than 

 the temples of Popocatepeque, but De Ordas with his two companions 

 proceeding, reached the fummit, and looked down into the crater, 

 which forms a circle of about a quarter of a league in diameter ; from 

 hence they alfo had the firft view of the city of Mexico, at the diftance 

 of twelve or thirteen leagues. This was thought at the time a great 

 achievement. When De Ordas went to Caftille, he obtained permiflion 

 from his Majefty, to bear the volcano of Guaxocingo in his coat of 

 arms, and it is fo borne by his nephew who lives in La Puebla. This 

 mountain for feveral years, until 1530, did not throw out flames j but 

 at that period it raged again violently. 



In 



