Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/151

Rh snow mountains and shook us with cold. Lances, crossbows and muskets make poor coverlets. But we slept that night, and more soundly than on the night before, for we had regulated our outposts and patrols.

In the last battle we had taken three Indian caciques. These Cortes sent to the chieftains of Tlaxcala, begging them to make peace and permit our march through their country to Mexico, as we had already asked; that if they would not now come to terms, we would fight till we had slain them all—which would grieve us, for we were well disposed and would gladly believe them brothers.

Our delegates came betimes to the capital of Tlaxcala and gave their message to the caciques, whom they found in council with the elders and papas. Defeat and the death of friends had made them sorrowful, and they were unwilling to listen to our messengers until they had summoned their soothsayers, priests and fortune-tellers and bidden them find from their sorceries and magic spells just what sort of people we were, and if fighting us day and night they could overcome us; and also to tell them what we ate and if we were really teules, that is, gods, as the Cempoalans said.

Upon this the papas and wizards got together in great numbers and began their enchantments, and finally by their arts discovered that we were humans