s of Tepeacans and Mexicans were killed, while on our
side we lost only three Tlascallans. Twelve Spaniards were slightly
wounded, and one of our horses so severely that it died soon after. The
consequence of this victory was, that numbers of women and children were
brought in prisoners to us,--for the men we turned over to the
Tlascallans, who made slaves of them all.

The Tepeacans, seeing that the Mexican garrison was no protection to
them, and that they would only become the victims of any further
opposition, without so much as consulting the Mexicans, now sent
messengers of peace to us, who were very kindly received by Cortes;
these Tepeacans then, for the second time, took the oath of allegiance
to our emperor, and sent off the Mexicans.

We now, therefore, entered Tepeaca, and founded a town there, to which
we gave the name of Villa de Segura de la Frontera, from its lying on
the road to Vera Cruz, in a populous district, very productive of maise,
and because it was covered by the close neighbourhood of Tlascalla.
Alcaldes and regidors were appointed, and a regular government
introduced.

We likewise visited all the districts where Spaniards had been murdered,
and we cast an iron mark, with the letter G, meaning _guerra_, (war,)
with which those were to be branded whom we turned into slaves. In this
way we severally visited the townships Quauhquechola, Tecalco, Las
Guayavas, and others whose names I have forgotten. In the former place
alone, fifteen Spaniards had been murdered in their quarters; we
therefore spared this township least of all, and turned a vast number of
its inhabitants into slaves.

About this time another king had been raised to the throne of Mexico, as
the former, who beat us out of the town, had died of the smallpox. The
new monarch was a nephew, or, at least, a very near relative of
Motecusuma, and was called Quauhtemoctzin. He was about twenty-five
years of age, and a very well-bred man for an Indian. He was likewise a
person of great courage, and soon made himself so greatly feared among
his people that they trembled in his presence. His wife was one of
Motecusuma's daughters, and passed for a great beauty among her
countrywomen.

When this new king received intelligence of the overthrow of his troops
at Tepeaca, and of the consequent submission of that province to the
emperor Charles the Fifth, he began to fear for his other provinces. He
therefore despatched messengers to every town