Tetzcatlipuca, who, in the discourses which the papas held with them,
promised that we should all be killed in a few days. As these gods were
lying and evil-minded beings, they deceived the Mexicans with these
promises in order that they might not be induced to sue for peace with
the teules. Unfortunately the Tlascallans and our other allies began to
put faith in these oracles after our last defeat.

One morning large bodies of Mexicans again fell upon us with the
intention of surrounding us on all sides. Each separate body of the
Mexicans was distinguished by a particular dress and certain warlike
devices, and regularly relieved each other in battle. In the midst of
their fierce attacks they constantly cried out, "You are a set of
low-minded scoundrels, you are fit for nothing, and you neither know how
to build a house nor how to cultivate maise. You are a pack of
worthless fellows, and only come to plunder our town. You have fled away
from your own country and deserted your own king; but before eight days
are past there will not be one of you left alive. Oh! you miserable
beings, you are so bad and beastly that even your very flesh is not
eatable. It tastes as bitter as gall!"

It is most probable that after they had feasted all the bodies of
several of our companions, the Almighty, in his mercy, had turned the
flesh bitter. Against the Tlascallans they threw out more terrible
language, threatening to turn them all into slaves, fatten some for
their sacrifices, and reserve others for rebuilding their houses and
tilling the ground.

All these abominable threats they uttered in the midst of fighting, and
they came pouring forth over the ruins of the houses we had destroyed,
or they fell upon us in the rear from their numerous canoes; but the
Almighty each time gave us fresh vigour, so that we were able to make a
good stand against the enemy and beat them back with considerable loss
in killed and wounded.

About this time our allies of Huexotzinco, Cholulla, Tezcuco, and
Tlascalla, had become wearied of the war, and secretly agreed with each
other to return to their homes. Without mentioning a single word either
to Cortes, Sandoval, or Alvarado, they all suddenly left our
encampments, only a few of the most faithful remaining with us. In
Cortes' division there remained a brother of the king of Tezcuco, the
brave Suchel, (who was subsequently baptized with the name of Don
Carlos,) with about forty of his relations a