ed for cavalry
exercise, Cortes desired Alvarado, who had an excellent brown mare, and
our other good riders, to go through the different manoeuvres, by which
we quite won the hearts of these messengers, who returned highly
satisfied to Mexico. About this time Cortes lost his horse; for which
reason Ortiz, the musician, and Bartolome Garcia, the mountaineer, gave
up their dark brown horse to him, which was one of the best among the
whole troop.

For the rest, our allies in the mountains and the inhabitants of
Sempoalla had stood in no little awe of Motecusuma, as they believed
nothing less than that he would instantly invade their country with a
great army to extirpate them. But, when they found that even several of
his relatives arrived, bringing presents, and that they comported
themselves so submissively to Cortes, they began more and more to fear
us, and the caziques said to one another, these must necessarily be
teules, as even Motecusuma himself stood in awe of us and sent us
presents. If they had previously formed a great idea of our power, it
was now vastly augmented by this unexpected circumstance.

CHAPTER XLIX.

_How the fat cazique and other chief men of the country come and
complain to Cortes, that a garrison of Mexicans had been thrown into
the strong fortress of Tzinpantzinco, committing great depredations;
and what further took place._

After the Mexican messengers had taken their leave, the fat cazique with
several other distinguished personages from among our allies called upon
Cortes, and begged of him to repair to a township called Tzinpantzinco,
two days' journey, or about from thirty-two to thirty-six miles from
Sempoalla; as a number of Mexican warriors had assembled there,
destroying their fields and plantations, falling upon their subjects,
and doing all manner of mischief. Cortes manifested great sympathy for
them, but scarcely knew what answer he should give, as he had promised
them every assistance. He, therefore, desired them to retire, until he
should have considered the matter a little.

After he had bethought himself for a short time, he turned smilingly
round to us who were standing near him and said: "Methinks, gentlemen,
we already pass here for great heroes; indeed, after what has happened
with the tax-gatherers these people must look upon us as gods, or a
species of beings like their idols. Now, I am of opinion it is best to
strengthen them in this notio