The True History of the Conquest of New Spain Volume 1

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... called , and that Pedro de Alvarado went towards Mexico and turned back on the road, and that it was then that those four chieftains whom he took with him gave him the name of Tonatio, which in the Mexican language means Sun, and so they called him from that time on. They gave him that name because he was of fine presence and active and of good features and bearing, so that both in face and in speech and in everything else he was so pleasing, that he appeared always to be smiling. I also know what I have stated that these said Captains never arrived at Mexico, for when they set out from our camp all the soldiers were distressed at their going, and we said to our Captain, 'why send two such excellent men when there is a chance that they may be killed1; so Cortes wrote to them at once to return. I am not quite sure about it, I leave it to the judgment of those who were present. Others of the Conquistadores have told me that as Bernaldino Vdsquez de Tdpia was ill in one of the towns, that the messengers informed Montezuma of the fact, and he sent to say that neither he nor Pedro de Alvarado should proceed any further, for if they should go to Mexico there would not be a thing that would not be clearly known to all the soldiers." CHAPTER LXXXI. How the people of Cholula sent four Indians of little consequence to make their excuses for not having come to TIaxcala, and what happened about it. I HAVE already said in the last chapter how our Captain sent messengers to Cholula to tell the Caciques of that City to come and see us at Tkxcala. When the Caciques understood what Cortes ordered them to do, they thought that it would be sufficient to send four unimportant Indians to make their excuses, and to say that because they were ill they had...