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the diftrefs which we were in, he called together the coionilb of Gua- 

 cacualco, as the flower of his army, and carneftly folicited us to do our 

 utmoft to procure fome neceffaries. Pedro de Ircio who was prefent 

 afked to be appointed to the command, to which Cortes affented; but 

 I, who knew that De Ircio was more of a talking, than a marching 

 loldier, and that he would kg by the way and retard us, whifpered Cor- 

 tes and Sandoval to prevent his going, for he being duck legged, could 

 not get through the deep ground and mire like us, and would be obli- 

 ged to fit down. Cortes therefore ordered him to flay, and five of us 

 fetting out together, with two guides, and crofl!ing rivers ar^d marflies, 

 came to fome Indian houfes where we found provifions in plenty. Here 

 we alfo took fome prifoners, and with their fruit, fowls, and corn, we 

 celebrated the feaft of the refurre(5tion heartily. On the fame night ar- 

 rived a thoufand Mexicans, whom Cortes had ordered to follow us. 

 We joyfully loaded them with all the corn that we could procure, and 

 twenty fowls for Cortes and Sandoval, and there flill remained fome 

 corn in the town which we ftaid to guard. On the next day we advan- 

 ced to other villages, where we found fuch a plenty of corn that we 

 wrote a billet to Cortes, with ink which we made, and on a piece of a 

 drum head, defiring him to fend all the Indians that he could, to carry 

 it to our people. 



Thirty foldiers and about five hundred Indians in a fliort time ar- 

 rived, and thus, thanks to God, we were amply provided for the re- 

 mainder of the five days, during which wc ftaid at Taica. I muft 

 obferve, that the bridges which we conftruded on this march, remained 

 perfectly good for many years, and that the Spaniards, when they paf- 

 fed them ufed to fay, "thefe are the bridges of Cortes," as formerly it 

 ufed to be faid, "here are the pillars of Hercules." We continued our 

 march for two days, to a place named Tania, through a country inter- 

 fedted with rivers and rivulets, and where all the towns were abandoned ; 

 and during the night, our guides, being intrufled to the care of fome 

 of the newly arrived Spaniards who I fuppofe flept upon their pofts, 

 made their efcape» Thus we were left in a difficult country, and not 



knowmg 



