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way J every now and then parties of Indians came up, calling us Lui- 

 lones, a term of reproach, and attempting to feize us, and we, when 

 they came within our reach, facing about, repelling them with a few 

 thrufts of our fwords, and then hurrying on. Thus we proceeded, un- 

 til we reached the firm ground near Tacuba, where Cortes, Sandoval, 

 De Gli, Salcedo, Dominguez, Lares, and others of the cavalry, with 

 fuch of the infantry foldiers as had croffed the bridge before it was de- 

 ftroyed, were already arrived. When we came near them, we heard the 

 voices of Sandoval, De Oli, and De Morla, calling to Cortes who was 

 riding at their head, that he (hould turn about, and affift thofe who 

 were coming along the caufeway, and who complained that he had 

 abandoned them. Cortes replied that thofe who had efcaped owed it to 

 a miracle, and if they returned to the bridges all would lofe their lives. 

 Notwithflanding, he, with ten or twelve of the cavalry and fome of the 

 infantry who had efcaped unhurt countermarched, and proceeded along 

 the caufeway; they had gone however but a very fhort diftance when 

 they met P. de Alvarado with his lance in his hand, badly wounded, 

 and on foot, for his chefnut mare had been killed; he had with him 

 three of our foldiers, and four of thofe of Narvaez, all badly wounded, 

 and eight Tlafcalans covered with blood. While Cortes proceeded along 

 the caufeway, we repofed in the enclofed courts hard by Tacuba. Mel- 

 fengers had already been fent out from the city of Mexico, to call the 

 people of Tacuba, Ezcapuzalco, and Teneyuca together, in order to in- 

 tercept us. In confequence they now began to furround and harrafs us 

 with arrows, and ftones, and to attack us with lances headed with 

 the fwords which had fallen into their hands on the preceding night. 

 We made fome attacks upon them, and defended ourfelves as well as 

 we could. 



To revert to Cortes and his companions, when they learned from Al- 

 varado that they were not to exped: to fee any more of our foldiers, the 

 tears ran from their eyes, for Alvarado had with him in the rear guard, 

 Velafquez de Leon, with above twenty more of the cavalry, and up- 

 wards of one hundred infantry. On enquiry Cortes was told that they 



were 



