We Were All Miserably Disappointed At This Event, Finding That
Hunger Was To Be Our Portion After All Our Fatigues.
After sending out his
servants in every direction, Cortes was only able to procure about a
bushel of maize.
He then called together the colonists of Coatzacualco,
and earnestly solicited us to use our utmost endeavours to procure
supplies. Pedro de Ircio requested to have the command on this occasion,
to which Cortes assented: But as I knew Ircio to be a better prater than
marcher, I whispered to Cortes and Sandoval to prevent him from going, as
he was a duck-legged fellow, who could not get through the miry ground,
and would only interrupt us in our search. Cortes accordingly ordered him
to remain, and five of us set out with two Indian guides across rivers and
marshes, and came at length to some Indian houses where we found
provisions in abundance. We here made some prisoners, and with their fruit,
fowls, and corn, we celebrated the feast of the Resurrection to our great
contentment. That same night we were joined by a thousand Mexicans, who
had been sent after us, whom we loaded with all the corn we could procure,
and twenty fowls for Cortes and Sandoval, after which there still remained
some corn in the town, which we remained to guard. We advanced next day to
some other villages, where we found corn in abundance, and wrote a billet
to Cortes desiring him to send all the Indians he could spare to carry it
to the army. Thirty soldiers and about five hundred Indians arrived in a
short time, and we amply provided for the wants of the army during the
five days it remained at Taica. I may observe here, that the bridges which
we constructed on this march continued good for many years; and the
Spaniards, when they travelled this way, used to say, "These are the
bridges of Cortes."
After resting five days at Taica, we continued our march for two days to a
place called Tania, through a country everywhere intersected by marshes,
rivers, and rivulets, all the towns being abandoned and the provisions
carried away; and, to add to our misfortunes, our guides made their escape
during the night, being entrusted, as I suppose, to some of the newly
arrived Spaniards, who used to sleep on their posts. We were thus left in
a difficult country, and did not know which way to go; besides which heavy
rains fell without ceasing. Cortes was very much out of humour, and
observed among his officers, that he wished some others besides the
Coatzacualco settlers would bestir themselves in search of guides. Pedro
de Ircio, a man of quality named Marmolejo, and Burgales, who was
afterwards regidor of Mexico, offered their services, and taking each of
them six soldiers, were out three days in search of Indians, but all
returned without success, having met with nothing but rivers, marshes, and
obstructions. Cortes was quite in despair, and desired Sandoval to ask me
as a favour to undertake the business.
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