( 404 ) 



like ourfelves, who had horfes, and three (hips with them. They alfo 

 furniflied him with a map of his route, and offered their alTiftance du- 

 ring the march ; but in anfwer to his demand that they would open the 

 way for us, they reprefented to him the difobedience of fome of their 

 dependencies, and expreffed their wifhes to reduce them to fubmiffion 

 by our means. This duty he gave to Diego de Mazariegos, a relation 

 of the treafurer Alonzo de Eftrada, as a comphment to him, and call- 

 ing me afide, he defired that I would attend him upon the occafion as 

 his counfellor, from my experience in the affairs of the country. This 

 I fhould not now mention, nor do I as a boafl, but it is my duty as an 

 hiflorian, and further, it was well known to the whole army, and his 

 Majefly was informed of it in the letters written to him by Cortes. 

 About eighty of us went with Mazariegos upon this occafion. When 

 we arrived, we found the diftri6t in the befl difpofition pofTible; the 

 chiefs returned with us to wait on Cortes, and brought with them a mofl 

 plentiful fupply of pro vifions. In about four days after this, all the 

 native chiefs deferted us, and we were left with only three guides, to 

 purfue our route, which we did, crofTing two rivers, to another town 

 in the diftri(5l of Gueyacala, which we found abandoned. 



Here was the fcene of the death of Guatimotzin, laff native king 

 of the Mexicans. It appeared that a plot had been entered into by this 

 unfortunate man, together with many others of his nobility, to murder 

 the Spaniards, and return to Mexico; and that on their arrival, they 

 intended to make a junction of all their forces, and attack the Spanifh 

 garrifon. Their treafon was communicated to the general by two lords 

 named Tapia and Juan Velafquez, who had commanded under Guati- 

 motzin during the fiege. As foon as Cortes got the knowledge of it he 

 took the informations, not only of thefe two, but alfo of feveral others 

 concerned; their confeflion was, that perceiving we marched without 

 precaution, that difcontent prevailed, that many of our foldiers were 

 fick, and provifions fo fcarce that ten Spaniards had died of hunger ab-. 

 folutely, and others had returned to Mexico, confidering alfo the uncer- 

 tainty of our fate and deffinatioa they had decided, that dying at once 

 \ was 



