But Cortes, After
Thanking Them For Their Friendly Solicitude And Proffered Aid, Remarked,
As He Had Done Before, That So Large A Body Of Troops Was Incompatible
With An Amicable Visit, But Requested They Would Furnish 1000 Men For Our
Baggage And Artillery, Which They Immediately Provided.
Our faithful
Chempoalan allies, being afraid of the resentment of the Mexicans for
their revolt, begged permission to return to their district, and Cortes
dismissed them with a handsome present, sending letters by them to
Escalente at Villa Rica, containing an account of our proceedings.
We marched from Cholula in our usual compact order, prepared for
whatsoever might befal, sending out patroles of our cavalry by threes in
front, supported by a detachment of light infantry as an advanced guard.
On our arrival at a small village called Izcalpan, in the district of
Huexotzinco, about four leagues from Cholula, we were met by the chiefs
bearing provisions, and a small present of gold. They requested our
general to consider only the good will of the givers, not the
worthlessness of the gift, as they were very poor; and, while they
endeavoured to dissuade him from attempting to proceed to Mexico, they
also informed him, that, on ascending the next mountain, he would find two
roads, the one of which leading by Chalco was broad and open, while the
other leading by Tlalmanalco, though originally equally convenient, had
been recently stopped up and obstructed by means of trees felled across it
to render it difficult, though it was in reality shorter and more secure
than that of Chalco, on which road the Mexicans had placed a large party
of troops in ambush among some rocks, for the purpose of attacking us by
surprise on the march.
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