Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/325

Rh thirty of us had reached the Inner side of the gully, we fell on the rear of the Mexicans. When they saw us and at the same time sighted our oncoming horsemen, they could not believe we had crossed, and in their astonishment, fancying we numbered more than we did, they turned and fled to hollows where we could not follow. Later, when we had quartered ourselves In a comfortable garden, caciques of the town came to us and, paying great respect to Cortes, handed him a present of gold and begged his pardon for meeting us with war, in excuse saying that the great cacique of Mexico had commanded them to attack us; but now they sincerely wished to become friends, for they were sure there was no stronghold we could not take. I still recall a strange remark these caciques made; namely, that our gods had told their gods that they and their towns should be chastized.

Turning towards Xochimllco, a great city about eleven miles from Mexico, we marched In close order through a forest of pine trees without being able to find on the way a single drop of water. The sun was exceedingly hot. When Cortes saw the troop exhausted, and our allies, the Tlaxcalans, losing courage, and even two men dead of thirst, he ordered a halt under the shade of some pines, and sent horsemen ahead to search for villages or wells of water where we might camp for the night.