nd friends. In Sandoval's
division a cazique of Huexotzinco, with about fifty men: and in our
division the sons of our honest friend Don Lorenzo de Vargas, with the
brave Chichimeclatecl, and about eighty men.

We were not a little dismayed to find that our allies had thus suddenly
decamped, and when Cortes questioned those who remained as to the
motives which had induced their countrymen to desert us, they replied,
that their companions had at length began to fear the threats of the
Mexicans and the oracles of their idols, that we should all be
destroyed, particularly when they saw what numbers of our men were
killed and wounded; besides their own great losses, which already
amounted to above 1200 men. To all this was added the warnings of the
younger Xicotencatl, whom Cortes had caused to be hung at Tezcuco,
namely, that sooner or later we should all be put to death, as he had
been assured by his soothsayers.

Our general was greatly alarmed at this desertion, but took care to hide
his real feelings from those few of our allies who had remained
faithful, and merely remarked, with a placid smile on his countenance,
that there was nothing to fear, and he was surprised that their
countrymen did not see through the real design of the Mexicans in
promulgating the false oracles of their gods. By this and other
plausible speeches, added to vast promises, he strengthened them in
their fidelity.

On one of these occasions the above-mentioned Suchel, who was a man of
uncommon bravery, and a cazique in his own right, said to Cortes:
"Malinche, you should not humble yourself each day to renew the conflict
with the enemy. In my opinion you should rather command your officers to
cruize round the town with the brigantines, in order to cut off all its
supplies of water and provisions. In that city there are so many
thousands of warriors that their store of provisions must soon become
exhausted. The only supply of water they have is from the rain that
falls, and what they obtain from wells recently dug, which cannot be
wholesome to drink. What can they do if you cut off their supplies of
provisions and water? for a war against hunger and thirst is the most
direful of all calamities!"

When he had done speaking Cortes gave him a hearty embrace, thanked him
for his good advice, and promised to bestow valuable townships upon him.
To this he had been advised all along by many of us soldiers; but a
Spanish soldier has too much spirit