our road we
had to pass the deep river Chilapa, where we were detained four days in
constructing boats to ferry over the army without danger. Further up
this river I knew there was a township, which likewise bore the name of
Chilapa. I therefore proposed to our general to despatch five of our
Indian guides to this place, and request the inhabitants to come down
with their canoes. To this Cortes readily agreed, and he ordered one of
our men to accompany the Indians thither, who succeeded so well, that
they returned with two caziques, besides six large canoes laden with
provisions. With these and the boats we had constructed, the whole of
the troops safely crossed the river; but, as I have said before, all
this cost us four whole days.

We then arrived in the township of Tepetitan, which was quite deserted
by its inhabitants, and every house had been burnt to the ground. The
inhabitants of this place, we were told, had been at war with their
neighbours, and a severe battle had recently been fought between them,
in which the former were defeated with great loss, when the enemy
destroyed their town by fire, and returned home with a great number of
prisoners.

For the next three days after we had passed the river Chilapa, our route
lay through one continued bog, in which our horses often sank up to
their girths. The next township we came to was Iztapa, where we did not
meet a living soul, for the inhabitants, from fear of us, had all fled
across a rapid river. We, however, went instantly in pursuit of them,
and after some time we came up with the caziques, and a number of men,
women, and children. Cortes, by means of Dona Marina, spoke very kindly
to them, and restored to their families four women and three men, whom
we had captured among the mountains. In gratitude for this, and in order
to show how friendly they were disposed towards us, these Indians
presented our general with several ornaments of gold, but the metal was
of an inferior quality. In this neighbourhood we halted three days, as
it contained plenty of good food for our horses, and a great abundance
of maise. Cortes considered this would be a most eligible spot to found
a colony in, as the country round about contained a number of wealthy
townships, from which a settlement would derive great advantages, and
have a constant supply of all necessaries. Here Cortes also made the
most minute inquiries of the caziques and Indian merchants as to the
route we were t