ing themselves, which naturally left large scars,
and rendered them hideous to look at. Torquemada agrees with Gomara, but
adds, from the authority of the Indians, that this and other
pestilential diseases spread at certain times through the whole of the
country; and Bernal Diaz, in describing the person of the younger
Xicotencatl, says his face was pitted as if with the smallpox. (p. 332.)

CHAPTER CXXV.

_How we all, including Narvaez's troops, hasten to Mexico by forced
marches._

On receiving the intelligence that Mexico was in rebellion, and Alvarado
besieged in his quarters, the plan of forming settlements in Panuco and
Guacasualco was for the present abandoned, and Leon and Ordas were again
ordered to join the main body.

Cortes soon found that Narvaez's troops were very unwilling to join us
in the Mexican campaign; but he desired them, in a most kind manner, to
forget the old enmity which had existed between Narvaez and himself, and
assured them that their only way to wealth and eminence was to join us
in this campaign; by so doing they would enter into a country where they
would be able to render services unto God and the emperor; and this,
too, was an opportunity which perhaps would not so readily present
itself again. In short, he told them so many fine things, that they one
and all agreed to accompany us: if, however, they had had any idea of
Mexico's vast power, not one of them would have been so ready to join
us.

We now broke up our quarters, and marched forward with all expedition.
In Tlascalla, we were informed that the Mexicans had continued their
hostilities against Alvarado as long as Motecusuma and his generals
believed we were at war with Narvaez. They had killed seven of our men
and burned down a portion of our quarters there, and had not stayed
hostilities until they heard of the recent victory we had gained: they
still, however, refused to supply Alvarado with either water or food.
This information was received in Tlascalla the moment we arrived there.

Cortes now reviewed the whole of his troops, which amounted to 1300 men,
96 horses, 80 crossbow-men, and a like number of musketeers. This body
of troops Cortes considered sufficiently strong to venture fearlessly
into Mexico with, particularly as the caziques of Tlascalla had
furnished us with 2000 of their warriors.

We now continued our march with the same briskness until we came to
Tezcuco. It was in this large town we