Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/265

 of maize, though the grain was not yet ripe, and also yucas and agoes in great abundance, these latter two furnishing sustenance and constituting the food of the natives of the Islands. I immediately had brought before me those natives of the town who had been captured there, asking them through the interpreter why they had burned their own houses and towns and why they fled since I intended them no harm or mischief, but rather shared what I had with those whom I met. They answered that the chief of Çagoatan had come in a canoe and frightened them, inducing them to fire their town and abandon it. I had the chief and all the men and women who had been captured in Çagoatan and Chilapan and Tepetitan brought before me, and explained to them how that wicked man had deceived them, telling them they might inform themselves from those Indians now before me, by asking them whether I or any of my people had done them any harm or mischief, or if they had not been well treated in my company. Being informed by them, they all began to weep, declaring they had been deceived and showing great grief for what had happened. In order to reassure them, I gave permission to all the Indians, both men and women, who had come with me from the other villages to return to their homes, making them some small presents and giving them sundry letters which I ordered them to keep in their towns, and to show to any Spaniards who might pass there, because by them they would be protected. I also told them to explain to their chiefs the mistake they had committed in burning their houses and towns and in abandoning them, and that henceforth they must not act thus, but rather stop confidently in their homes as no harm or evil would be done them. After this, they left, well