Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/44

 expecting me a long time; and he had commanded them to come and see me as soon as I should come to this province, and to look upon me as their father. As soon as they had known of my coming to the city of Tesaico, they said that they had wished to come immediately to see me, but, out of fear of the Culuans, they had not dared; nor would they now have dared to come had the captain whom I had sent not arrived in their country; they added that, when they returned to it, I must give them many other Spaniards to conduct them in safety. They also told me that I well knew that never, either in war or otherwise, had they been against me, and that I also well knew that, when the Culuans were attacking our quarters in Temixtitan and the Spaniards whom I had left there while I went to meet Narvaez in Cempoal, there were two Spaniards in their country in charge of certain maize which I had sent them to collect; they had escorted these men to the province of Guaxocingo, for they knew that the people there were our friends, so that the Culuans might not kill them as they did all who were outside the quarters in Temixtitan. They told me this and other things, weeping, and I thanked them very much for their good disposition and deeds, promising them that I would always do everything they desired and that they should be well treated. Thus far they have always shown /ery good will, and have proved very obedient to all that is commanded them on the part of Your Majesty.

These sons of the lord of Calco and those who came with them told me one day that, as they wished to return to their country, they besought me to give them people who would conduct them in safety. Gonzalo de Sandoval, with certain horsemen and foot soldiers, escorted them, with orders after he had left them in their country, to go to the province of Tascaltecal and bring back with him certain Spaniards who were there, and Don Fernando, the brother of Cacamacin, whom I have mentioned