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278 cutting off of life greatly grieved Sandoval and his men. Yet what better could they do than show mercy in return? Fear had fallen upon the people and they had fled to the mountains. A few chiefs and women whom Sandoval took wept for the expected fate of all. But Sandoval sent these few to bring back the people, and upon their return they begged forgiveness of the past and declared themselves faithful vassals of our king for the future.

Sandoval and his men now went on the way to Tlaxcala, and when he neared the capital, where the cacique lived, he found eight thousand Tlaxcalans carrying on their shoulders all the wood and other building material for the sloops, and as many more warriors with arms and plumes acting guard, besides two thousand porters bringing food. Caciques commanded these forces, but Martin Lopez, our great master carpenter, was in charge of the transport. When Sandoval saw the whole matter of transportation working out so efficiently he was delighted, for he had expected the work of getting the timber started would detain him days in Tlaxcala.

In the same order in which the transporting party was moving when we met them, we marched towards Texcoco. After we entered Mexican territory, that is, after two days, the enemy showed their derision by whistling and yelling hideously at us from farms and ravines and other places beyond reach of our