The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28

consisted of seventeen horse, SIX cross
bows and four hundred and twenty foot
soldiers, most of them armed with sword
and bucklers and over four thousand
Tlascalan warriors. We had provisions
for but one day, for the country through
which we had to pass was thlckly popu-
lated and had plenty of provisions. such
as maize and chickens ard the native
dogs. The first night we camped about
three leagues from Tepeyaca. From there
Cortes sent six Indians OF Tepeyaca to
that town to say that we came to inquire
how many of them had been implicated in
the killing of sixteen Spaniards who bad
been slain without any cause While on
their road to Mexico, and also to learn
why they had in their town several squad
rons of Mex cans who had but Just been
engaged in robbing our friends the Tlasca-
lans, and that he begged of them to come
presently to where he was and make peace
and be our friends and to send the MeXl-
cans away from their town; and that II
they did not come and make peace. we
would go against them as assassins and
common highway robbers, and that we
would ravage them with fire and sword
and make them all slaves. Our message
was bold one, but much holder was the
reply brought by the same SIX men and
the four women and two Mexicans who
returned with them. for these indians
now all understood that we never harmed
messengers, but on the contrary made
them gifts. And the message was deliv-
cred by the two Mexican Captains, who
were bold because of the victory they had
won over us in Mexico because of the
broken bridges. Cortes made them pres
ents and sent ano her message, again call
ing on them to come and make peace ana
saving that he would pardon all the evil
they had already done; and he sent them
a letter. although we well knew they
| could not read it. but still being. written
on the paper of CASTLE, they would know it
was command. and he begged of the
Mexicans to bring back an answer.
They soon returned. and the message
they brought was for us not to go forward
or we would not return to the place
from whence we came, as the next day
they intended to make better feasts on
our bodies than even the MtXicans had
recently done in Mexico, and at Otumba.
Cortes then informed all the soldiers and
Captains of the reply of Tepeyaca. and he
called "a Kings eScribano and made a
declaration. which would bear witness to
all that had occurred, and declaring all
the Mexlcans and their allies who had
been engaged in the killing of Spaniards.
slaves because after having paid homage
to his majesty our lord the King of
Spain. and become his vassals, they had
rebeled and killed over $40 Spaniards.
and other towns were declared to be nests
of assassins and highway robbers. After
this bad been done, we again sent to
them, admonishing them aid calling on
them to come down and make peace.
They replied that ii we did not presently
retire, they would come out and kill us !;
aud they at once made ready, and we
also.
The next day we had good battle on
plain, with the MeXicans and Tepey
aquenos, and although the Mexicans
fought well, thev were defeated. chiefly by
the charges of the horse, although we who
had no horses were not IDLE. And there
were IA great number of Mexicans ana
Tepeyaouenos killed in the fight. The
Tlascalans fought bravely; they lost
three men and we had two horses
wounded, one of which afterwards died !;
and we had twelve soldiers wounded, but
none dangerously. Following up the vic
tory. we captured a great many women
and children, and as for the men we gave
them to the Tlascalans for slaves.
w hen the people of Tepeyaco saw that
with all their Boosting the Mexicans had
been routed and themselves with them.
they determ 10 come to us and make
peace without saving anything to the
MexicaHs. So they came and gave their
obedience to his majesty and swore allie
glance and they then drove the MeXicans
from their town.
We went there and there we founded Il
town and called it Villa Segura de la
Frontera. because it was on the road
from Villa Rica to Mexico and was in the
midst of rich country ana surrounded
by towns subject to Mexico.
And Alcaldes and Regidores were
named and a plan arranged to attack the
neigh boring towns and bring them to
obedience, particularly those towns where
Spaniards had been killed. And here it
was that an iron brand a letter Sc"
"a, ttnr
SC" standing for guerra, - (war).
From this place we overran the surround
ing country and brought to obedience the
towns of Cachula and Techamachalco and
the town Guayagas. and many Others
whose names | have forgotten. 1t was in