Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/75

 We departed next day from this city to go to Tacuba, which is two leagues from here, where we arrived at nine o'clock in the morning, using our lances  Return March to Texcoco in one place and another along the way, for the enemy came from off the lake to attack and jeer at the Indians who carried our baggage; finding themselves worsted, however, they let us proceed in peace. I have already said that my principal purpose was to make a circuit of all the lakes, in order to reconnoitre and inspect the country better, and also to give help to our friends, hence I did not care to stop in Tacuba. The people of Temixtitan, who were so near there that the city extends almost to the mainland of Tacuba, seeing that we went on, recovered much confidence and with great daring attacked the centre of our baggage-train; but as the horsemen were well stationed and the ground was all level thereabouts, we had great advantage over them, without risking any danger ourselves. As we were galloping from one side to the other, two of the several youths, my servants, who usually followed me, did not do so, but chanced to go aside where they were captured by the enemy, who, we believe, put them to a very cruel death, as was their custom. God knows how grieved I was by it, both because they were Christians, and also because they were brave men who had served Your Majesty well in this war. After leaving this city, we continued our march through other neighbouring towns, and rejoined our people, where I learned how the Indians had captured those youths. To avenge their death, and because the enemy followed us with the greatest insolence in the world, I, with twenty horsemen, concealed myself behind some houses, and, as the Indians saw the other ten with the people and baggage going ahead, they followed them fearlessly by another very broad and level road; thus, when we saw that they had passed somewhat, I shouted in the name of the Apostle