_How we quartered ourselves in the township of Tehuacacinco, and
what we did there._
As the battles we fought had greatly fatigued us, besides that several
of our men and horses were wounded, we made a day of rest, repaired our
crossbows, and supplied ourselves with arrows. The next morning Cortes
said to us, "It would be no harm if our horse were to gallop up and down
the country a little; the Tlascallans might otherwise think we had had
enough of it in the last battle: we must show them that we are
constantly at their heels." And indeed it was better that we began
ourselves than wait until we should be attacked, that the enemy might
not suppose we had been too greatly weakened, and had lost our courage.
Besides this, the country round about was quite level, and thickly
populated. We therefore ordered out seven horse, some crossbow-men, and
several musketeers, in all 200 men, without including our confederates.
Every possible precaution had been previously made to secure our camp.
On our march through the townships we captured twenty Indians of both
sexes, but in no way molested them. Our allies, however, who were
barbarous characters, could not refrain from setting fire to many houses
where they had found quantities of fowls and young dogs. After we had
again returned to our quarters, Cortes ordered the fetters to be taken
off the prisoners, and food to be given them. Dona Marina and Aguilar
then addressed them very affectionately, and gave to each some glass
beads, adding, at the same time, that in future they should not be so
foolish, but make peace with us, as we were very desirous of looking
upon them as brothers, and would protect them as such.
We also set the first two Indians at liberty whom we had captured, and
gave them a letter with the commission to tell the chief of the
provinces that we were not come in any way to injure the Tlascallans,
but merely wished to take the road through their country to Mexico,
there to have an interview with Motecusuma.
Both these delegates punctually followed our orders, and arrived at the
head-quarters of Xicotencatl, which lay, if I remember rightly, about
six miles from our camp, in the township of Tehuacinpacingo. Having, in
the absence of the father, fulfilled our commission to the younger
Xicotencatl, he told them, we had only to come to his father's township,
there they would make peace, after they had satiated themselves with the
flesh of our bodies, and had honoured their gods with the sacrifice of
our blood and hearts. The next morning we should behold his answer with
our own eyes.
As the last battles were still fresh in our memories, we did not exactly
relish the haughty answer with which our delegates returned. Cortes,
nevertheless, received them most kindly, perceiving, from their return,
that they no longer stood in awe of us; and with the view that they
should once more be despatched as messengers of peace, he gave them some
additional strings of beads. For the rest he made the most minute
inquiries respecting the commander Xicotencatl, and the number of his
troops, and found that the latter were much more numerous than in the
last battle: he had now five chiefs under him, each of whom commanded
10,000 men. These troops were enumerated in the following manner: First
of all came the 10,000 men of Xicotencatl's division; next a similar
number under another powerful cazique called Maxixcatzin; then a like
number under the distinguished cazique Chichimeclatecl; 10,000 under the
cazique of Topoyanco, named Tecapaneca; and an equal number under the
cazique Quaxobcin;--altogether thus 50,000 men. Each troop had its
standard and arms, the latter being a large white bird, with outspread
wings, as if preparing to fly, and resembled an ostrich.[25] Besides
this, every chief had his particular insignia of war and colours, in the
same way as our Spanish dukes and earls. At first we did not believe
anything of all this, but found afterwards that it was perfectly true;
and since we were human beings, and feared death, we all confessed to
father Olmedo and the priest Juan Diaz, which occupied them the whole of
the night: neither did we fail to offer up fervent prayers to the
Almighty to grant us victory. Under such like occupations the following
day broke forth on which we were to fight the battle, of which I shall
speak in the next chapter.
[25] This is a very remarkable observation of Bernal Diaz, for the
ostrich with outspread wings is also found on the ancient Persian
monuments; and this bird, it is well known, is not common to the New
World. If we add to this circumstance the repeated questions which were
put to the Spaniards by the inhabitants of New Spain, as to whether they
came from the region where the sun rises, there is reason for supposing
that the tradition which came down to them from their forefathers was
not altogether vague; namely, that a people would come from the east and
take possession of their country. (p. 150.)