The herald., 1895-05-05

manding them and telling them that there
after they must make no alliance with
the Mexlcans, but must remain loyal vas
sails OF his majesty the King, granted them
pardon.
At this time there came al.o to ask for
peace the people OF the town Mizquique,
which we called Venezuela. and which
was also built in the lagoon. and it ap-
pears that these people had never been
friendly with the Mexicans, and we were
all glad when they came to AXE an al
lance with us. because through them we
expected to also bring in their neighbors
to our alliance. Cortes received them
we'll and they went away contented.
There now came information that strong
squadrons of Mexicans had been sent to
1avage the towns of Guatnchan and Hua-
Xatlan and two other towns tnat were our
allies also. And they said that they did
not dare to await them in their hou ses.
and that unless we went to their assist
ance they would either have to flee to the
mountains or come to Tezc uco. where we
were. Such being the case Cortes took
two hundred soldiers and some horse and
crossbowmen and arquebusers and
went to their assistance.
We found that indeed the Mexicans
had threatened them, but that the real
cause of the quarrel was. that near those
four towns there was a large tract of land
which the people of the four towns we're
required to sow in maize for the use of
the temples of Mexico, and as the corn
was now ripe the Mexicans wanted to
gather it,. but the people of the four
towns and OF Tezcuco were supplying our
camp with provisions from the same
fields of maize, and there had already
been many fights over this and many
Indians had been killed. When Cortes
understood how things were he told
them that he would send them a Captain
o,,1
while they were gathering the corn. and
with this they were content and we re-
turned to our camp.
And thereafter whenever we needed
corn we sent great number of tamenes
from the neighboring towns and strong
force of soldiers and Tlascalans and OBJ
tanned what we wanted. l say this be-
cause l went there twice. and once we
had pretty fight with with great squad
rons of Mexicans who we're hidden there
and who had come in over one thousand
canoes and fought stubbornly, but we
finally defeated them after losing one
sol soldier ,e, and having twelve wounded.
but the Mexicans did not go away rejoic-
ing. as they lost fifteen killed and about
twenty-five whom we captured.
At this time the people of Chalco and
Talmanalco sent to Cortes saying that
they wished for peace and to be admitted
ment which they were receiving from
the Mexican garrisons stationed in their
towns. We all felt anxious now for the
brisantines, the timbers of which were
still in Tlascala. and besides our allies IN
the lagoon towns sent daily to complain OF
the depredations of the Mexicans, which
we could not prevent until we had our
brigantines afoat.
And our Tlascalanss also, who had salt
and spoils of different kinds which they
wished to send to Tlascala. did not dare
to do so because the road wa1 unsafe.
Cortes. seeing how things were. and that
he was merely sitting il Tezcuco with
his beard hanging on his breast. ever on
the alert and accomplishing little. now
determined that it was necessary to
drive the Mexcans out of Chalco and Tai.
manalco. in order to open and protect the
road from Tuzcuco to Tlascala, and sent
Francisco de Lugo and Gonzalo de San
doval, with 200 foot and fifteen horse and
some crossbowmen and arquebusiers and
our Tlascalans with orders to drive the
Mexicans out Of Chalco and Talmanalco
at all hazards. He then, through some
Tezcucans, sent word to the people