Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/299

Rh answer the enemy sent back was still fiercer, for, puffed up with their late victory, the Mexicans spoke with terrible assurance, and finally after our repeated offers of peace, declared that we should not advance further; if we did advance, they would fall on us and have a bigger feast from Spanish flesh than they had had after the night of sorrows and the battle of the fields.

We now had a council of war in which it was agreed and taken down in writing by a notary, that all the allies of Mexico who had killed Spaniards should be turned into slaves, on the ground that after swearing allegiance to our king, they had rebelled and slain more than eight hundred of our people and over fifty of our horses. This decision Cortes sent to our enemy and again asked for peace. They replied that if we did not at once quit the province they would come out and kill us. Next day we met the vaunters in a severe battle. A ground of maize and maguey plantations proved favorable to our horsemen and the enemy's bravely availed them little. To see the spirit of our Tlaxcalan allies!—how valiant they were!—and how they pursued the enemy! When the Tepeacans became convinced that the Mexicans were no protection, they sent messengers suing for peace and they then took the oath of allegiance to our king.

Because it was on the road to Vera Cruz, and