be
assisted by the Tlascallans who were with us.

Cortes returned them many thanks for their present and good advice,
assuring them he was determined, with the assistance of Providence, to
continue his march, and would take the road they had pointed out.

The next morning very early we again moved forward, and, towards noon we
reached the summit of the mountain, where we found the two roads exactly
as described by the inhabitants of Huexotzinco. Here we halted for a
short time to reconsider what had been told us respecting the Mexican
troops which we should find stationed in the pass. Cortes then inquired
of the two Mexican ambassadors which of the two roads they would advise
him to turn into,--the one which had been blocked up by a fall of
timber, or the smooth road? They told him into the latter, because it
led to Chalco, a town of considerable magnitude, where we should meet
with a good reception, as it was subject to Motecusuma; the other road,
blocked up by the trees, was very dangerous in places, and was rather
round about, leading, moreover, to a township much inferior to Chalco.
Cortes, however, determined for the other road, and we marched through
the mountains in the closest possible order. Our Indian friends set
diligently to work to clear away the heavy trees, and even to this day
many of the latter are still to be seen lying on the roadside. When we
had reached the summit of the mountain, it began to snow so fast that
the ground was soon covered with it. We now began to descend, and we
took up our night's quarters in some scattered huts, which had the
appearance of taverns for the accommodation of Indian merchants. We
likewise found abundance of food here, and, notwithstanding the severity
of the weather, we posted our sentinels as usual, and made regular
patrols.[42]

The next morning we broke up our quarters, and arrived, about the hour
of high mass, in the township of Tlalmanalco, where we met with very
kind and hospitable treatment. Immediately upon the news of our arrival,
numbers of people gathered about us from the neighbouring townships of
Chalco, Amoquemecan, Ayotzinco, and from various other small places
whose names I have forgotten. The last-mentioned town has a harbour,
where canoes ply up and down. These tribes made us a present in common,
consisting in gold, worth about 150 pesos, two packages of cotton
stuffs, and eight females. "Malinche," said they, in handing these over
to Cortes, "may