orward as usual, with the heavy
guns, the horse, the crossbow-men, and musketeers, in close order.
Cortes had also requested the Mexican ambassadors to accompany us, in
order that they might convince themselves that the people of Tlascalla
were sincere. To allay their apprehensions, he assured them they should
live in his own quarters, and not be molested.

Before, however, I proceed with my narrative, I must explain how it
happened that Cortes was termed Malinche by all the tribes through whose
territories we had passed. I myself in future will call him by that
name, excepting there where it would be improper. This name was given to
him because our interpretress Dona Marina was always about his person,
particularly when ambassadors arrived, and in our negotiations with the
several caziques, as on those occasions she interpreted for both
parties. They therefore called him the captain of Marina, and contracted
that appellation in the word Malinche.[29] This name was likewise given
to Juan Perez de Artenga of Puebla, because he always accompanied Dona
Marina, and to Geronimo de Aguilar for a similar reason. The former of
these two even retained the name of Juan Perez Malinche. Our entry into
the metropolis of Tlascalla took place twenty-four days after we had
crossed the confines of the country, the 23d day of September, in the
year of our Lord 1519.

[29] For Marina, as appears from several passages in Torquemada and
other writers, was called by the inhabitants Malintziu. (p. 176.)

CHAPTER LXXV.

_How we marched into the city of Tlascalla, and were received by the
old caziques; of the present they made us, and how they brought us
their daughters and nieces; and what further happened._

When the caziques found that our baggage was moving forward, they
hastened before us to make the necessary preparations for our reception,
and to adorn our quarters with green boughs. We had arrived within a
mile of their city when they again came out to meet us, accompanied by
their daughters, nieces, and other distinguished personages, in which
those of the same kin or same family or tribe kept together. Without
that of Topoyanco, which held the fifth degree, there were four tribes.
The inhabitants of the other townships also kept flocking up, all
distinguished by the national colours of their respective dresses,
which, for want of cotton, were very prettily and neatly manufactured of
coloured nequen. Next came