even
Roger's arrows would scarcely slay these fierce beasts at once; and
that, when wounded, they were terrible enemies.

Roger enjoyed the life much. The air was fresh and bracing, the
forest magnificent in its varied foliage, and the abundance of game
so great that it needed no special exertion to keep themselves well
supplied with food. Two or three times, at intervals of a week or
ten days, Bathalda went down to Tlatlanquitepec, with a load of
turkeys and other game slung on a pole over his shoulder, and
returned with maize, flour, chocolate, and pulque, and other
articles of food; and--which was of much greater importance to
Roger--news of the white strangers.

The first time he learned that they had arrived in several floating
castles, and had landed at once. The natives had received them with
kindness, and the chief of that district, Teuhtlile, had on the
following day had an interview with their chief. Presents had been
exchanged. Five days later an embassy, with many very rich gifts
from the emperor, arrived at the camp. They were the bearers of
friendly messages from Montezuma; who, however, had declined to
allow them to proceed into the country, and had requested them to
leave the coast at once. The white men had sent back a message to
Montezuma praying him to alter his determination, and showed no
signs of obeying his orders, and re-embarking on board their ships.
By the orders of Montezuma's envoys, the people had now abstained
from visiting the camp, or bringing in supplies.

Three weeks after, Bathalda returned from the town with the news
that another embassy from Montezuma had visited the white camp,
with another great store of valuable presents; but that Montezuma
positively prohibited them advancing towards the capital. Two days
later they were visited by envoys from Cempoalla, the chief town of
the Totonacs, who had been lately conquered by the Aztecs, and had
invited the white men to visit their city. They had accordingly
marched there, and were now dwelling in this town. It was said that
the Aztecs were extremely indignant at the action of the Totonacs,
and that dire vengeance would be taken upon them, for daring to act
in this manner without the permission of Montezuma.

The next news was, that the white men had marched farther north to
Chiahuitztla, that they were founding a city there, and that they
had actually seized and imprisoned a party of Aztec envoys. The
white men had visited other