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176 night we spent in prayer, asking the Almighty's support in our holy cause.

The next morning two Tlaxcalans secretly got into our quarters and brought from Vera Cruz a letter announcing that Juan de Escalante, whom, we said some chapters back, we had left behind as governor of Vera Cruz, six other Spaniards, and all the Totonacs in his company had met death in a battle with Mexican warriors. So also a horse. The story went that Mexican caciques had demanded tribute; our allies, the Totonacs, had refused to pay it; Escalante had commanded the Mexicans to leave the Totonacs in peace; to which the Mexicans had sent a contemptuous answer. Engagements followed, and in our defeat our allies turned against us and refused to bring food or serve the garrison. Faith that we Spaniards were teules had vanished. Both Totonacs and Mexicans threatened our little settlement, and instead of veneration now expressed contempt.

Only God could know what sorrow this news gave us. It was the first defeat we had suffered in New Spain. Any hearty reader of this narrative sees how rapidly our fortune was changing from good to bad. We had entered this great city with a splendid and triumphant reception, we had been in possession of rich presents which Montezuma every day gave