before two days had elapsed
above 2000 of his warriors arrived in our camp. I still remember quite
well that they were accompanied by Pedro Sanchez Farsan and Antonio de
Villareal, who subsequently married the lady Ojeda. The first of these
gentlemen, it will be remembered, Cortes had appointed commandant of
Tezcuco, and the second chamberlain to the king of that place. Cortes
was not a little rejoiced at the arrival of this considerable body of
men, and did not forget to bestow his praises on them.

The Tlascallans followed the example of the Tezcucans, who shortly after
returned in great numbers, under the command of Tecapaneca, cazique of
Topoyanco. In the same way large bodies of men arrived from Huexotzinco,
but very few came from Cholulla.

Cortes commanded all these Indian troops to repair to his head-quarters,
having previously taken the precaution to station detachments along the
line of their march, to protect them against any attacks of the enemy.

When they had all arrived he stepped into the midst of them, and
addressed them in Spanish, which was interpreted by Aguilar and Dona
Marina. He assured them he had never doubted their being well and
faithfully inclined towards him, from the time they had become subjects
of our emperor, and experienced our bounty. When he invited them to join
him in this campaign against Mexico, he had had no other object in view
than that they might reap a real benefit by it, and return home laden
with booty; and to give them an opportunity of revenging themselves on
their old enemies, with whom they had never been able to cope previous
to our arrival in their country. Though they had fought bravely, and
stoutly assisted us on every occasion, they should nevertheless bear in
mind that each day we ordered their troops to draw off from the
causeways, because they embarrassed our movements; and though our
numbers had been so very scanty, yet we had never stood in need of their
assistance; for we had told them over and over again that the Lord Jesus
was our stronghold, from whom all victory comes. They were likewise
convinced that we were able to level houses to the ground, and pull up
the palisades, without their aid. For the rest, he was bound to make the
observation to them that, according to the strict articles of war, they
had deserved punishment of death, because they had deserted their
general at a time when the battle was at its height. He would, however,
pardon them, on ac