Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/47

 in the province of Tascaltecal were informed that a ship had arrived at the port of Vera Cruz, in which  Reinforce- ments Arrive at Vera Cruz had come thirty or forty Spaniards (besides the sailors), eight horses, cross-bows, muskets, and powder. As they did not know how we were progressing with the war, and had no sure way to reach us, they were anxious; and some of the Spaniards were waiting there, for they did not dare to come on, although they desired to bring me such good news. When one of my servants, whom I had left there, learned that some of them wished to try to reach me, he proclaimed, by the public crier, serious penalties for anyone who should leave there until I had sent orders to do so. But one of my lads, realising that nothing in the world would give me so much pleasure as to know of the arrival of that ship and the help it had brought, left by night, although the country was not safe, and came to Tesaico, where we were greatly amazed to see him arrive alive. We were very glad of the news, as we were in extreme need of relief.

The same day, Most Catholic Lord, certain good messengers from Calco arrived here in Tesaico, and told me that, on account of their having come to offer themselves as vassals of Your Majesty, Mexico and Temixtitan were about to attack and destroy them, and were therefore assembled, and had prepared all their neighbours; hence they besought me to help and aid them in such great necessity, for, if I did not do so, they would find themselves in the greatest straits. I assure Your Majesty, as I wrote in my former account, that next to our own hardships and privations, the greatest uneasiness I felt was caused by not being able to aid and favour the friendly Indians who were molested and harassed by the Culuans for being vassals of Your Majesty. I and my companions would always go to the extent of our possibilities in this, as it seemed to us that in nothing could we further the