iance with Mexico; to all of which
they faithfully adhered. After this, ambassadors arrived from another
township, which lay in the midst of the lake, and was called Mizquic,
though we called it Little Venice. The inhabitants of this place had
never been upon intimate terms of friendship with the Mexicans, and now
utterly detested them. An alliance with these people, from their
situation in the midst of the lake, was of the utmost importance to us,
and we also flattered ourselves we should, through them, gain the
friendship of the other townships which lay on the lake. These
ambassadors accordingly were most courteously received by our general,
and he dismissed them with the most flattering assurances of our
friendship and protection.

During this interview Cortes received information that a large body of
Mexican troops were marching against the four townships which had been
the first to solicit our friendship. The inhabitants there durst not
venture of themselves to bid any defiance to the enemy, but intended to
fly to the mountains, or seek refuge with us in Tezcuco. They begged so
hard for assistance, that Cortes at length complied with their request,
and marched thither with twenty horse, two hundred foot, thirteen
crossbow-men, and ten musketeers, accompanied by Alvarado and Oli. These
towns lay about nine miles from Tezcuco, and were threatened with total
destruction by the Mexicans for having concluded peace with us. In
particular they were afraid of losing the crops of maise in front of the
lake, which were now ready for harvesting, and from which the
inhabitants of Tezcuco and the four townships had thought to supply us.
The Mexicans declared they were coming to cut this maise, as it was
their property, and those townships had always till then cultivated
those lands for the papas of Mexico; and indeed many lives had already
been lost in disputes respecting these fields.

Cortes, being now well acquainted with the true state of the case, sent
word to the inhabitants of those places that they had nothing to fear,
but to remain quietly at home, and send him word when they were desirous
of harvesting their maise crops. He would then despatch an officer, with
several horse, to protect the reapers. With this they were perfectly
satisfied, and we returned to Tezcuco.

When we found that our stock of maise was nearly all gone, we sent
notice of it to those townships, and they immediately commenced reaping
their crop