HISTORY OF MEXICO* 



503 



have been led to fliun the obflacles of danger which 

 every way encountered them, by flight, and the general 

 himfelf mufl have been compelled to follow them. 



His mind being relieved from this anxiety, having 

 ratified the alliance with the Totonacas, and given pro- 

 per orders for the fecurity and advancement of the new 

 colony, he prepared for his journey to Mexico. He left 

 fifty men in Vera-Cruz under the command of Juan 

 d'Efcalante, one of the beft officers of the armament, 

 charged the Chempoallefe to affift the Spaniards to com- 

 plete the building of the fortrefs, and to fupply them 

 with all the provifions they required. He fet out him- 

 felf on the 1 6th of Augufl with four hundred and fifteen 

 Spaniffii infantry, fixteen horfes, two hundred Tlamama, 

 or men of burden, to tranfport his baggage and artillery, 

 and fome troops of Totonacas, amongft which were forty 

 nobles, whom Cortes carried with him as auxiliaries in 

 war, and hoftages of that nation. 



He travelled through Xalapan and Texotla, and after 

 having crofted with infinite fatigue fome defart moun- 

 tains, of a fevere temperature of air, he arrived at Xo- 

 cotla (/), a large city, confiding of beautiful buildings, 

 among which arofe thirteen temples, and the palace of 

 its lord, which was built of done and lime, and compofed 

 of a number of excellent halls and chambers, being the 

 mod complete fabrick they had as yet feen in the New 

 World. The king of Mexico owned in this place, and 

 in the hamlets contiguous to it, twenty thoufand vaflals, 

 and had five thoufand Mexicans garrifoned in it. Olin- 

 tetl, which was the name of the lord of Xocotla, came 



out 



(/) Bernal Diaz and S0I13 call this city Zocotlan, which could eafily occafion 

 an error, as it would be eafy to confound it with Zacatlan, lituated at the di£- 

 tance of thirty miles from Tlafcala, toward* the north, 



