and
to demand restitution of the gold they had robbed us of; and also
further to explore the country._

After we had received these reinforcements, first the twenty-five men
and three horses, which arrived in the two small vessels sent by Diego
Velasquez, and then the 120 men, with the seventeen horses which arrived
in Garay's vessels, we learnt that many of Narvaez's men on their
retreat from Mexico had been murdered in the townships of Zacatemi and
Xalatzinco; likewise that the inhabitants of these places had plundered
and killed Juan de Alcantara and his two companions who were returning
from Tlascalla with the gold above mentioned. Cortes, therefore, ordered
Sandoval, a remarkably bold and clever officer, to march against them
with 200 men, composed for the greater part of Cortes' old soldiers,
among which there were twenty horse and twelve crossbow-men, to which
was added a strong body of Tlascallans.

Sandoval, on his march thither, received intelligence that the
inhabitants were all under arms, and had put these towns in a good
state of defence; and were, moreover, assisted by a powerful body of
Mexicans. They well foresaw that we should equally chastise them for the
Spaniards they had murdered, as we had the Tepeacans, Quauhquechollans,
and Tecalcans.

Sandoval placed his troops in the most advantageous manner, and
explained to the cavalry how they were to break through the enemy's
line. But previous to entering on the enemy's territory he sent
messengers with offers of peace to them, and to demand the gold they had
stolen, with promises that he would pardon the murder of the Spaniards.
These messengers went several times to the enemy with these offers, but
each time returned with the same answer, namely, that they would serve
Sandoval and his soldiers in the same manner as they had those teules,
respecting whom he now came to make inquiries. Sandoval then sent them
word that he would treat them as traitors and highwaymen, and turn them
all into slaves; they might therefore prepare for a struggle for life or
death. He then fell upon them from two several points at the same time,
and though the Mexicans, as well as the inhabitants, defended themselves
with great bravery, he nevertheless soon put them to flight, and
captured numbers of the commoner people, whom, however, he set at
liberty again, for want of men to guard them. In one of the temples he
found a quantity of clothes, arms, and horse-trappi