Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/276

238 Tezcatlipoca (Alvarado himself having given them leave to celebrate the festival) and had killed and wounded many, while the Mexicans, forced to a defence, had slain some of our Spaniards. Cortes heard this with a dark frown settling on his brow. He answered that he would go to Mexico and put things to rights. At the same time he wrote Alvarado that while we were coming by forced marches, he should see that Montezuma did not escape.

News that Mexico was In rebellion led us to abandon our plans for forming settlements In the provinces of Panuco and Coatzacoalcos, and Cortes begging the followers of Narvaez to forget the old enmity and join us In the campaign and service to God and our king, promised that those who had come to the country for a livelihood he would lead to wealth and honors. He said so many fine things that one and all agreed to go.

With all expedition we reached Tlaxcala, where we learned that the Mexicans had not ceased their attacks upon our garrison till they heard of our victory over Narvaez; and that they still failed to supply our men with food and water. Cortes now reviewed our troops and found over thirteen hundred men, eighty crossbowmen, a like number of musketeers, and ninety-six horses. In addition the caciques of Tlaxcala furnished us two thousand warriors. The same brisk steps with which we had