till several miles to go, nor did we know for
certain whether we should find the wells, which, it was said, lay
further on.

By this time the whole of our troops were almost exhausted with fatigue,
and our Tlascallan friends lost all courage after one of their
countrymen and an old Spaniard died of thirst. Cortes, observing the
great distress we were in, ordered us to halt under the shade of the
pine trees, and despatched six of our horse in advance, along the road
leading to Xochimilco, in search of some town or village where it was
said we should find the wells, as our general proposed to encamp near
them for the night.

This small body of cavalry, among which were Oli, Valdenebro, Truxillo,
and other brave men, had scarcely left, when I slipt away without being
observed by Cortes and the others, taking with me three of my Tlascallan
naborias, who were active young fellows, and I followed the three
above-mentioned cavalry officers until I was observed, and they halted
to wait my coming up. They advised me to return immediately, that I
might not fall into the hands of the Mexicans. I was not, however, to be
deterred by this; and Oli, with whom I stood on a very friendly footing,
at length gave me permission to accompany them, but to hold my hands
ready for battle and my legs for flight. I would at that moment have
risked my life to obtain a drink of water, so painful was my thirst.

We may have advanced about a couple of miles in a straight line when we
came up to a number of country houses which lay scattered among the
hills, and were subject to Xochimilco. Our officers entered these
dwellings without delay, in search of water, which they found, to their
inexpressible joy. One of my Tlascallans, who had followed them,
instantly returned to me with a large earthen jug full of water, with
which I and my servants quenched our thirst. I now again returned to the
wood where Cortes had halted with our troops, and it was high time I
did, as the inhabitants were beginning to assemble, and they followed us
with hootings and yells. I had ordered the jug to be replenished with
water, and gave it to one of my Tlascallans to carry. On my return, I
met Cortes, who had again put his troops in motion. I informed him that
we had found water in a small village not far off, and that I had
brought him a jug full. My Tlascallans had taken the precaution to cover
up the jug carefully, that no one might take it from them, for thirst
know