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I have the other battles fought by us antecedently to the final conquefl. 

 I muft now recall to the readers rccolle6tion, that our entry into Mex- 

 ico to relieve Alvarado was on the day of St. John in the month of June 

 one thoufand five hundred and twenty. We entered that city with up- 

 %vards of one thoufand three hundred foldiers, cavalry included, which 

 latter body was ninety fevcn in number, and of our infantry eighty w-ere 

 crofsbow-men, and as many mufqueteers. We had alfo with us a great 

 train of artillery and two hundred Tlafcalan allies. Our flight from 

 Mexico was on the tenth of July following, and the |3attle of Obtumba 

 was fought on the fourteenth day of that month. 



I will now give an account of all our countrymen \vho lofl their 

 lives in Mexico, at the caufeway, in battle, and on the road. In five 

 days were killed and facrificed upwards of eight hundred and feventy 

 foldiers, including feventy two of thofe of Narvaez put to death toge- 

 ther with five Caflillian women, in a place named Tuflepeque. One 

 thoufand two hundred and upwards of our allies of TIafcala were alfo 

 killed. Juan de Alcantara and two more, who came for the fhare of the 

 gold afllgned to them, were robbed and murdered, and if we examine 

 throughout we (hall find, that all who were concerned with the trea- 

 fure came to ill fortune. Thus it was with the foldiers of Narvaez, 

 who perifhed in a much greater proportion than ours did, on account of 

 their having followed the didtates of their avarice. 



After the battle we continued our march to TIafcala, chearfully, 

 and eating certain gourds named ayotes, which we found by the way, 

 the enemy only fhewing themfclves at a diflance, until we arrived at a 

 village where we took up our quarters in a flrong temple, and halted 

 for the night, occafionally alarmed by the Mexicans, who kept about 

 us as it were to fee us out of their country. From this place we to our 

 great joy perceived the mountains of TIafcala, for we were anxious to 

 be convinced of the fidelity of our friends, and to know fomething of 

 our companions in Villa Rica. Cortes warned us, as we were fo few 

 in number and had efcaped by God's mercy, to be cautious not to give 



Gg 2 offence; 



