They Advised Us Therefore, If We Were Determined
To Persevere, To Choose The Obstructed Road, And Offered To Send A Number
Of Their People To Clear It For Us.
Cortes thanked them for their good
advice, of which he would avail himself by the blessing of GOD.
Having
halted for the night at Izcalpan, we resumed our march early the next
morning, and reached the summit of a mountainous ridge about noon, where
we found the two roads exactly as they had been described to us. We halted
here in order to deliberate on our procedure, when Cortes called the
Mexican ambassadors to explain the meaning of the felled trees. Pretending
ignorance on this subject, they advised him to take the road of Chalco,
where they said he would be well received. Cortes chose however to take
the other road, and sent on our Indian allies to clear the way before us.
As we ascended the mountain, the weather became piercingly cold, and we
even had a considerable fall of snow, which covered the whole country
round about. We at length arrived at certain houses which had been built
on the very top of the mountain for the accommodation of travellers, where
we found an abundant supply of provisions, and having placed proper guards,
we halted here for the night. We resumed our march next morning, and
arrived by the hour of high mass at the town of Halmanalco, where we were
hospitably received. The people of the neighbouring districts of Chalco,
Amaquemecan, and Ajotzinco, where the canoes are kept, waited on Cortes at
this place with a present of about 150 crowns in gold, some mantles, and
eight women. Cortes received them affably, and promised them his
friendship and protection; explaining to them, as on former occasions, the
doctrines of our holy faith, exhorting them to abandon their idolatry and
barbarous immolation of human victims, informing them that he was sent
among them by a powerful monarch to redress wrongs, and to lead them in
the way of eternal salvation. On this the people began to make loud
complaints of the tyranny of Montezuma, who deprived them of their wives
and daughters if handsome, forcing the men to work like slaves in the
conveyance of stones, timber, and corn, and appropriating their lands to
the service of his temples. Cortes gave them kind assurances of speedy
redress, but recommended to them to be patient yet a little while.
Just as we were going to set out from Tlalmanalco, four of the principal
nobles of the court of Mexico arrived with presents from Montezuma, and
having made their customary obeisance, they addressed Cortes in the
following manner: "_Malinatzin_! our sovereign sent this present to you,
and desires us to say, that he is grieved you should take so much trouble
in coming from a distant country to visit him. He has already made you be
informed that he will give you much gold, silver, and _chalchihuis_ for
your _teules_, if you will give up your intention of coming to Mexico. We
now repeat this request in his name, that you will return; and he will
send after you a great treasure in gold, silver, and jewels for your king,
with four loads of gold for yourself, and a load for each of your brethren.
It is impossible for you to proceed to Mexico, as the whole Mexican
warriors are in arms to oppose you; besides which you will find the roads
bad, and will be unable to procure provisions." Embracing the ambassadors
with much politeness, and having returned thanks for their present, Cortes
expressed his astonishment at the changeableness of Montezuma, who thus
alternately invited and deprecated his presence. He begged them to thank
Montezuma for the splendid offers he had made of treasure to the emperor,
himself, and his soldiers; but it was quite impossible for him to turn
back, especially when so near the capital, as his orders from his own
sovereign were to pay his respects to theirs in person; it was quite
useless, therefore, to send him any more such messages, for he was
resolved to proceed; and if Montezuma should desire his departure after
having seen him, he would be ready at his command to return to his own
country.
Having thus dismissed the ambassadors, we continued our march, and as our
allies had informed us that Montezuma intended to put us all to death,
after our entry into his city, we were filled with melancholy reflections
on our hazardous situation; recommending our souls therefore to the LORD
JESUS CHRIST, who had already brought us in safety through so many
imminent dangers, and resolving to sell our lives at a dear rate, we
proceeded on our march. We halted at a town named Iztapalapan, one half of
the houses of which were built in the water, and the rest on dry land, and
took up our quarters there for the night. While preparing early next
morning to recommence our march, information was brought by a sentinel
that a great number of Mexicans in rich dresses were on the road towards
our quarters, on which Cortes again dismissed us. Four principal nobles of
Mexico now presented themselves with profound respect before our general,
whom they informed that Cacamatzin, lord of Tezcuco, and nephew to the
great Montezuma was approaching, and begged that he would remain in his
present situation to receive him. Cacamatzin soon followed in vast pomp,
borne in a magnificent litter, adorned with jewels and plumes of green
feathers, set in branched pillars of gold. His litter was carried by eight
nobles, who assisted him to alight, and then swept the way before him as
he came up to Cortes. Our general embraced the prince, and made him a
present of three of the jewels named _margajitas_, which are figured with
various colours. The only purpose of this visit seemed to have been
complimentary, as he addressed Cortes in these words: "I, and these lords,
have come by order of the great Montezuma, to conduct you to your
residence in our city." We then set forwards in our usual array for Mexico,
the road being crowded on both sides with innumerable multitudes of
natives, and soon arrived at the causeway of Iztapalapan, one of those
which leads to the capital.
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