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when dancing at a folemn feftival in honor of their gods, which he 

 had permitted them to hpld, whereby, in their own defence they had been 

 forced to kill feven of his foldiers. Cortes replied to them in terms not 

 the moft pleafing, faying he would foon be at Mexico, and put all in 

 proper regulation; with which anfwer they returned, very little indeed 

 to the fatisfadiion of Montezuma who felt the infult ftrongly, many of 

 the natives being killed. 



In confequence of this intelligence, the detachments were counter- 

 manded, and Cortes exhorted the troops of Narvaez to forget paft ani- 

 mofities, and not to lofe this opportunity of ferving his Majefty and 

 themfelves, expofmg to their view the riches they would acquire, fo 

 that they one and all declared their readinefs to proceed to Mexico, a rc- 

 folution they never vVould have taken, if they had known the force 

 of that city. By very long marches we arrived at Tlafcala, where we 

 learned that until the time that Montezuma and the Mexicans got in- 

 telligence of the defeat of Narvaez, they had never ceafed making attacks 

 upon Alvarado ; but when they heard of our fuccefs they defifled, leav- 

 ing the Spaniards greatly fatigued and diftrelfed, by their continual ex- 

 ertions and want of water and provifions. This information was con- 

 veyed by two Indian meffengers who arrived at the moment we entered 

 Tlafcala. Here Cortes made an infpedtion of our army, which now 

 amounted to one thoufand three hundred men, nearly one hundred of 

 whom were cavalry, and one hundred and fixty were crofsbow-men and 

 mufquetecrs. Two thoufand warriors of the Tlafcalans having joined 

 us, we purfued our route by long marches to Tefcuco, where we werq 

 very ill received, and every thing bore the appearance of difaffed:ion. 



On St. John*s day in the month of June one thoufand five hundred 

 and twenty, we arrived in the City of Mexico, meeting with a reception 

 very different from our former one, for none of the nobility or chiefs of 

 our acquaintance could be recognifed, and the city feemed to be totally 

 depopulated. When we entered our quarters, Montezuma came to em- 

 brace Cortes, and wifh him joy of his vidory, but the general would 



neither 



