] Bernal Diaz errs here with respect to dates, for the disastrous
retreat from Mexico, according to Cortes' despatches and other accounts,
took place on the 1st of July, and thus la noche triste (the night of
sorrows) was on the night between the 1st and 2d of July, and the battle
of Otumpan took place on the 7th. There must either have been some
mistake in the original manuscript or in the printing, for the years are
also dated erroneously. (p. 356.)

[96] This is certainly a corrupted name, for it is dissimilar in sound
to all others, and terminates differently. (p. 358.)

CHAPTER CXXIX.

_How we quartered ourselves in the metropolis of Tlascalla, and what
we did there._

I have already mentioned that we rested a day at Gualiopar, where we
were visited by the caziques of Tlascalla, who kindly offered us every
assistance, which was the more praiseworthy in them when we take the
time and circumstances into consideration.[97]

As soon as we had arrived in the Tlascallan metropolis, Cortes made
inquiries respecting the 40,000 pesos worth of gold which he had
forwarded to the latter place for the garrison of Vera Cruz; when
Maxixcatzin, Xicotencatl, and one of our soldiers who had remained behind
in Tlascalla on account of ill health, informed him that a certain Juan
de Alcantara, with two others of the garrison lying in Vera Cruz had
arrived there and taken all the gold with them, as they had produced a
written permission to that effect signed by Cortes, which he,
Maxixcatzin, had carefully saved. Upon being questioned as to the time
they had left with the gold, we found it must have been during the days
we had the severe engagements with the Mexicans. Subsequently we learnt
that Alcantara and his companions had been murdered and robbed of their
treasure on their road to Vera Cruz. Cortes was sorely grieved at this
loss, and was most anxious to know how matters stood in the latter
place. He therefore despatched three Tlascallans to that town with a
letter, in which he gave a full account of all that had transpired at
Mexico, but very wisely omitted to mention the number of men we had lost
there. He likewise admonished the garrison to observe the utmost
vigilance, and to keep Salvatierra and Narvaez close prisoners. They
were desired to send their sick to Tlascalla with all their store of
powder and crossbows. He at the same time wrote to Caballero, and
particularly cautioned him not to allow any vesse