and not an inhabitant was
to be seen. On the following morning we arrived at Aculman, which is
subject to Tezcuco; and the inhabitants of this place being apprized of
our approach, came out to meet us. They were accompanied by several
Spaniards, who had arrived from Spain during our absence. Besides these,
Sandoval, with the troops under his command, and Don Fernando, king of
Tezcuco, had likewise come out to welcome us. Every one was overjoyed at
our return, but particularly the inhabitants of the surrounding
neighbourhood, who brought us quantities of provisions.

Sandoval returned this same day to Tezcuco, fearing the enemy might make
an attack on this town in the night time. The following morning Cortes
also left, for this place, where we arrived quite fatigued, and covered
with wounds; besides that, we had to mourn the loss of many of our brave
companions in arms, whom the Mexicans had carried off alive, and
sacrificed to their idols. I must now inform the reader what a perilous
posture affairs had assumed at Tezcuco.

CHAPTER CXLVI.

_How we discover, on our return to Tezcuco, that a conspiracy had
been set on foot by the men of Narvaez's troops to murder Cortes,
and all who were of his party; of the author of this conspiracy, his
punishment; and of other matters._

During our absence a conspiracy had been set on foot by a most intimate
friend of the governor of Cuba, named Antonio de Villafana, a native
either of Zamora or Toro, in conjunction with others of Narvaez's
troops, whose names, for honour's sake, I will refrain from mentioning
here. The object of this conspiracy was to murder Cortes on his return,
which was to be done in the following manner.

The conspirators designed handing over a letter to Cortes while he sat
at dinner with his officers and other soldiers, which was to be securely
fastened and sealed, purporting to come from his father, with a vessel
that had just arrived from Spain. While he was occupied in the perusal
of this letter, he and the whole of the officers and soldiers who sat
at table with him, and offered any resistance, were to be poignarded to
death.

All this being settled, it pleased the Almighty that the conspirators
should also let two other distinguished officers into the secret, whose
names, however, I must likewise repress. Both these officers had
accompanied us on our recent expedition around the lake, and one of
these officers, after Cortes s