ally take on distant voyages. One of these men, a
certain Moron of Delbayamo, had a well-trained horse, and exchanged it
most profitably with Juan Ruano for some valuable property the latter
had at Cuba.

When these men were about to set sail, the rest of our troops, headed by
the alcaldes and regidors of the town of Vera Cruz, repaired to Cortes
and begged of him to issue an order that no one should leave the
country, an order which both the service of God and his majesty
required, declaring that they considered every one merited death who
could think of such a thing, surrounded as we were by such numerous
enemies, nor could we look upon them in any other light than men who
wished to desert their commander and his standard in the midst of battle
and in the moment of the greatest danger. Cortes, nevertheless, did as
if he was desirous of discharging the malcontents, but soon after
countermanded this order. All they got for their pains was contempt and
disgrace, while Moron in the bargain was done out of his horse, which
Juan Ruano had no wish to return him. Upon this Cortes gave orders for
our march, and we arrived without any accident in Tzinpantzinco.

CHAPTER LI.

_What happened to us at Tzinpantzinco, and how, on our return to
Sempoalla, we destroyed all the idols; likewise of other matters._

The first day we marched twenty miles, and arrived at Sempoalla, where
we passed the night: here 2000 Indian warriors, divided into four
troops, stood ready to join us. The second day, towards nightfall, we
arrived at the plantations in front of Tzinpantzinco, and took the road
leading into that fortress, which wound up between large and steep
rocks. The inhabitants were most likely apprized of our approach; for
immediately eight Indians of distinction and several papas came out to
us, making signs of peace, and asked Cortes, with tears in their eyes,
why we were going to kill them, as they had done nothing against us? We
bore the character of doing good only wherever we might come, and of
putting a stop to the oppression of nations, and for that reason had
even imprisoned the tax-gatherers of Motecusuma: between the warriors of
Sempoalla, who accompanied us, and themselves there existed an inimical
feeling, already of ancient date, respecting a dispute of territory and
boundaries, and these people had no other object in view than to plunder
and destroy them, under our protection: there was, indeed, generall