o, fell ill for want of food, and so an end was put to their music.

There was only one of them who managed to force out a tune now and then,
but we all grew so sick of his blowing and puffing that we told him it
sounded in our ears like the mingled howls of foxes and wolves, and that
a handful of maise to stay the cravings of hunger would be more
acceptable than all his music.

Several persons on reading this history have asked me, why we did not
kill the herd of swine which Cortes took with him? For you know, they
said, that necessity breaks through all law, and Cortes would
undoubtedly have distributed some of the flesh from time to time among
the troops. To this I answered, that Cortes' chief butler Guinea, a man
of a dubious character, gave out that the hogs had by degrees all been
devoured by the alligators and sharks in crossing the rivers. However,
in order that we might never catch sight of these swine, they were
always kept about four days' journey behind us; though I must confess
that the whole herd put together would not have fed our numerous troops
for one single day, and besides this, no one ever spoke of killing them
for fear of annoying Cortes.

In every township we came to, and in various other places wherever we
found proper trees for the purpose, particularly the ceiba tree, we cut
the form of a cross into the bark, these being much more durable than
those crosses usually constructed of two pieces of wood and stuck into
the ground; besides that, the former become more and more perceptible as
the bark grows. To these we likewise fastened scraps of paper, that
would immediately catch the eye, and on which was written: _Cortes
passed this way on such and such a day_, for the instruction of those
who might be sent after us. On our march to Ciguatepec we were
accompanied by above twenty Indians of Tamaztepec, in order to assist us
in crossing the rivers with their canoes; some of them likewise went in
advance, to acquaint the inhabitants of the townships that we came in a
friendly disposition. By this so much was gained, that those who would
otherwise have fled at our approach now quietly awaited our arrival
without evincing the least fear.

CHAPTER CLXXVI.

_How Cortes on our arrival at Ciguatepec despatches Francisco de
Medina in search of Simon de Cuenca, with orders for the latter to
repair with the two vessels to Triunfo de la Cruz; and what further
happened._

Cortes' f