Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/334

310 After thanking them for their information and offer, I immediately gave them thirteen horsemen, two hundred foot-soldiers, and some thirty thousand Indian allies, to accompany them. It was agreed that they should lead them by roads where they would not be seen, and, when they approached near the city, its chiefs, and inhabitants, and other vassals and confederates, should be notified, and should surround the quarters where the captains were, to capture and kill them before their men could help them, so that, when the latter did appear, the Spaniards would already be in the city waiting to fight and rout them. They and the Spaniards marched by the city of Churultecal and through some parts of the province of Quasucingo, which borders on the territory of Guacachula within four leagues of it; and, in a town of the said province of Quasucingo, it is said that they told the Spaniards that the natives of that province were leagued with the Guacachulans and Culuans to entice the Spaniards with this project to the said city, where they could kill them. As the fright, with which the Culuans in their city and country had inspired them, had not yet altogether abated, this information alarmed the Spaniards; and the captain whom I had sent with them made an investigation, and took prisoner all those chiefs of Quasucingo who were with them, and the messengers from the city of Guacachula, and returned with them to the city of Churultecal, four leagues from there. Thence, together with the proofs he had obtained, he sent to me all the prisoners, attended by horsemen and foot-soldiers. The captain also wrote me that our people were frightened because the enterprise seemed very difficult. On the arrival of the prisoners I spoke to them by my interpreter, and, having used all diligence to learn the truth, it appeared that the captain had misjudged them so I