Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/80

 this; and we passed the day of the review in great rejoicing, longing to see ourselves already engaged in the siege and to bring this war to an end, on which the peace or further disturbance of these parts so much depended.

The next day, I sent messengers to the provinces of Tascaltecal, Guajucingo, and Churultecal, to let them know that the brigantines were ready, and that I and all my people were about to surround the great city of Temixtitan. Therefore I begged them, since they were notified by me and had already prepared their people, that as many of them as possible and as well armed as they could be, should set out and join me here in Tesaico, where I would wait ten days for them, and that they should by no means exceed that time, because it would disarrange everything that had been planned. When the messengers arrived, the people of those provinces were already prepared and eager to meet the Culuans: those from Guajucingo and Churultecal came to Calco as I had ordered, for the siege was to be begun near that place. The captains of Tascaltecal arrived in Tesaico with very brilliant and well-armed forces, five or six days before the Feast of the Holy Ghost, which was the time I had designated to them. When I learned that day of their approach, I went out to meet them with great rejoicing, and they came so gladly and so well disciplined that things could not have been better. According to the account the captains made, there were more than fifty thousand warriors, who were well received by us and given quarters.

The second day after the Feast, I ordered all the foot soldiers and horsemen to assemble in the square of the  Division of the Forces for the Siege city of Tesaico, that I might divide them and assign them to the captains, who were to lead them in three divisions to be stationed in three cities which are around Temixtitan. I made Pedro de Alvarado, captain of one division, as-