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league from Gholula, where a ftone bridge is now built acrofs it. Here 

 fome of the chiefs of the city came to congratulate us on our arrival. 

 Continuing our march on the next day, when we- came near the city, 

 we were met by the chiefs and priefts in a body, all dreffed in caflbcks 

 of cotton, refembling thofe of the Zapotecans. The chiefs prefented 

 their incenfe to Cortes, and af£#r apologizing for not having gone to 

 Tlafcala, requefted that he would not permit fo large a body of their 

 enemies to enter the city. This appearing reafonable, Cortes fent AI- 

 varado and De Oli, to defire our allies to hut thcmfelves in the field, 

 and we then marched on, attended only by the Indians of Ccmpoal, and 

 thofe who drew the artillery. Before he entered the city he made 

 known to thefe people the objects of his million, as has been already 

 frequently related. They replied without hefitation, that to our monarch 

 they were perfectly ready to yield immediate obedience, which they 

 did J but that as to abandoning their ancient religion^ they could not 

 comply with any fuch demand. When we entered their city, we were 

 conducted through an immenfe crowd which filled the flreets and ter- 

 races, to our quarters in fome large apartments, which contained us, 

 our allies of Cempoal, and thofe who conveyed the artillery and 

 baggage. 



During the time we ftayed here, a plot was concerted by the am- 

 baffadors of Montezuma, for the entry of twenty thoufand of his troops 

 into this city, to fall upon us ; and feveral houfes were filled with the 

 poles and leathern collars, in which they were to have brought us pri- 

 foners to Mexico, but that God was pleafed to foil their defigns. 



For the firft two days, we were entertained as well as we could 

 wifh, but on the third we received no provifions, nor did either chief or 

 priefl: make his appearance. The few inhabirants that we faw, alfo, 

 withdrew from us with a myflerious kind of fneer in their faces, and 

 Cortes at this time applying to the ambaffadors ro procure for us our 

 provifions as ufual, all that we obtained was a little wood and water, 

 conveyed by fome old men, who told us that no maize was to be had. 



On 



