alla came into view, and
we felt equal joy at beholding these as if our native country had been
there; yet we could not tell what the present feeling of that people
towards us might be, or whether they had remained faithful! And we were
also quite ignorant as to how matters stood at Vera Cruz, where the
enemy might also have cut the garrison to pieces.

Our whole strength now merely consisted in 440 men, twenty horses,
twelve crossbows, and seven muskets; besides that, we were all
excessively weak, and covered with wounds; our cannon, with our store of
powder lost; we were at present, therefore, doubly vigilant, and
returned fervent thanks to God for having so miraculously rescued us out
of the enemy's hand. Our troops, Cortes said, were now dwindled down
again to the same number of men with which we had first set sail from
Cuba, and entered the city of Mexico. We should therefore be
particularly cautious not to give the Tlascallans any reason of
complaint. This was especially intended for Narvaez's men, who were not
so accustomed to subordination as we were. For the rest, continued
Cortes, he hoped to God we should find the Tlascallans as faithful and
true to us as before. If, however, they should have turned against us,
we were not therefore to lose courage, but to trust in our strong arm,
which had the power to overcome any foe.

We now continued our march with every military precaution, and arrived
at a fountain on the slope of a hill, near to which were standing the
walls and inclosures of ancient temples. These the Tlascallans said
formed the boundaries between their territory and the Mexican empire.
Here therefore we felt in greater safety, washed ourselves, and ate some
little food. After we had sufficiently rested from our fatigues, we
again marched forward, and arrived at a township called Gualiopar,[96]
situated in the Tlascallan territory, where the inhabitants allowed us
to quarter, and furnished us with food; but we were obliged to give them
small pieces of gold or chalchihuis in exchange. In this spot we
remained a whole day, to dress our wounds and those of our horses.

When the news of our arrival was received in the metropolis of
Tlascalla, Maxixcatzin, the old Xicotencatl, and Chichimeclatecl,
accompanied by the principal inhabitants of that town, and those of
Huexotzinco, immediately set out to welcome us. They gave us the most
hearty reception, and several of the chiefs wept aloud. "Alas! Malinche