_How we marched into the province of Tepeaca, what we did there, and
of other things which happened._
Cortes had desired the caziques of Tlascalla to furnish him with 5000
men to join him on his march into the province of Tepeaca, whose
inhabitants he was going to punish for the murder of several Spaniards.
It was the township of Tepeaca, Quauhquechola, and Tecalco, which lay
from twenty-four to twenty-eight miles from Tlascalla, against which
our arms were particularly bent. If our desire to be revenged upon them
was great, that of Maxixcatzin and the elder Xicotencatl was more so, as
the inhabitants of those places had done great damage to their
plantations; four thousand Tlascallan warriors, therefore, stood ready
equipped to join us. All the provinces, however, which we intended to
invade were quite prepared to receive us; for when the inhabitants there
learnt that we had met with a kind reception in Tlascalla after our
overthrow in Mexico, they did not doubt for an instant that, after we
had recruited our strength a little, we should invade their territories
in conjunction with the armed force of the former republic. Mexican
troops were therefore stationed everywhere on the confines, and Tepeaca
itself was strongly garrisoned. Maxixcatzin and the elder Xicotencatl
were well aware of this, and, consequently, not without their fears.
Notwithstanding all this, we commenced our march thither, but without
either cannon or matchlocks, for we had lost all these in our flight
from Mexico: though we had saved a few of the latter, we could make no
use of them as we had not a grain of powder left.
Our small army now consisted of seventeen horse, six crossbow-men, and
420 Spaniards, most of whom were only armed with swords and shields, and
4000 Tlascallans. We merely took a single day's provision with us, as
the provinces we were going to invade were very populous, and contained
quantities of maise, fowls, and musk swine. We observed our usual good
custom of sending out a few scouts in advance, and we quartered
ourselves for the first night about twelve miles from Tepeaca. The
inhabitants, upon the news of our approach, had everywhere fled away,
and carried off everything they could with them, so that we only found
six men and four women in a small settlement near Tepeaca. Cortes, who
always observed the strictest justice and order in all matters,
questioned these prisoners respecting the eighteen Spaniards who had
been murdered without any cause, and for what reason such vast numbers
of Mexican troops had arrived, and why the property of our friends the
Tlascallans had been destroyed?
He desired these prisoners whom he sent to Tepeaca to ask the
inhabitants there these same questions, and they were to signify to them
that they should send away the Mexicans who were there, and conclude a
treaty with us, otherwise we should look upon them as rebels, murderers,
and robbers, desolate their country with fire and sword, and carry off
all the inhabitants into slavery.
These prisoners fulfilled their commission faithfully, and returned with
two Mexicans. If we had sent a haughty message to our enemies, they
returned answer in a still haughtier tone. The two Mexicans came with
perfect confidence, as they well knew it was our custom to treat all
ambassadors with great courtesy, and even make them presents. In this
they had certainly not deceived themselves; and, still puffed up with
the recent victory, they spoke with terrible assurance. Cortes, after
they had done speaking, presented each with a mantle, and sent them back
with offers of peace, adding, at the same time, he was well aware they
could not return him his Spaniards alive; but if they would sue for
peace, he would pardon the past. With this message he likewise sent a
letter containing the same offers, though we very well knew they could
not read it, yet by this time they had learnt so much as to know it
contained some command, and Cortes desired the ambassadors to return
with an answer. This they speedily brought, and was to the following
effect: "We were to return to where we had come from; and if we refused
to do so immediately, they would fall upon us the next day, and procure
themselves a more abundant repast from the flesh of our bodies than they
had done at the bridges of Mexico and in the battle of Otumpan."
On receiving this declaration Cortes called a council of war, in which
the whole of these circumstances were taken down in writing by a royal
secretary, and it was further resolved that whichsoever of the allies of
the Mexicans had been found guilty of murdering Spaniards should be
turned into slaves, since, after swearing allegiance to his majesty,
they had rebelled, and caused us so great a loss of men and horses. This
determination was likewise made known to the enemy, and they were again
admonished to make peace with us; but we met with nothing but defiance
in return; and if we did not quit the province they would march against
us and put us all to death. Both sides thus made preparations for war,
and a severe battle ensued the day after; but as the level ground, which
consisted entirely of maise and maguey plantations, was particularly
favorable for our manoeuvres, the bravery of our enemies availed them
very little, and our few horse soon put them to the route. The rest of
us likewise fell vigorously upon them, and our friends of Tlascalla
behaved most valiantly, and pursued the enemy with great loss.
Considerable numbers of Tepeacans and Mexicans were killed, while on our
side we lost only three Tlascallans. Twelve Spaniards were slightly
wounded, and one of our horses so severely that it died soon after. The
consequence of this victory was, that numbers of women and children were
brought in prisoners to us,--for the men we turned over to the
Tlascallans, who made slaves of them all.
The Tepeacans, seeing that the Mexican garrison was no protection to
them, and that they would only become the victims of any further
opposition, without so much as consulting the Mexicans, now sent
messengers of peace to us, who were very kindly received by Cortes;
these Tepeacans then, for the second time, took the oath of allegiance
to our emperor, and sent off the Mexicans.
We now, therefore, entered Tepeaca, and founded a town there, to which
we gave the name of Villa de Segura de la Frontera, from its lying on
the road to Vera Cruz, in a populous district, very productive of maise,
and because it was covered by the close neighbourhood of Tlascalla.
Alcaldes and regidors were appointed, and a regular government
introduced.
We likewise visited all the districts where Spaniards had been murdered,
and we cast an iron mark, with the letter G, meaning _guerra_, (war,)
with which those were to be branded whom we turned into slaves. In this
way we severally visited the townships Quauhquechola, Tecalco, Las
Guayavas, and others whose names I have forgotten. In the former place
alone, fifteen Spaniards had been murdered in their quarters; we
therefore spared this township least of all, and turned a vast number of
its inhabitants into slaves.
About this time another king had been raised to the throne of Mexico, as
the former, who beat us out of the town, had died of the smallpox. The
new monarch was a nephew, or, at least, a very near relative of
Motecusuma, and was called Quauhtemoctzin. He was about twenty-five
years of age, and a very well-bred man for an Indian. He was likewise a
person of great courage, and soon made himself so greatly feared among
his people that they trembled in his presence. His wife was one of
Motecusuma's daughters, and passed for a great beauty among her
countrywomen.
When this new king received intelligence of the overthrow of his troops
at Tepeaca, and of the consequent submission of that province to the
emperor Charles the Fifth, he began to fear for his other provinces. He
therefore despatched messengers to every township, commanding the
inhabitants to hold themselves ready for action; and in order that he
might make sure of their obedience to his commands, he sent one cazique
a present, and another he freed from paying tribute. His most able
generals were despatched with troops to protect the boundaries, and he
admonished them to behave better than they had done at Tepeaca.
That the reader may not confound the two names, I must take the
opportunity to acquaint him that there was a Cachula and Guacachula. I
must, however, defer for the present what I have to say about the
last-mentioned place, to relate the news we received from Vera
Cruz.[99]
[99] According to Torquemada, these two townships were called
Quauhquechulla and Quauhquechola. (p. 368.)