[10] As related in the text, this march to the villages appears to have
    been made on the same day with that to Guauhtitlan, and the battle of
    Otumba or Otompan, to have been fought on the second day of the march
    from Popotla or Los Remedios.  But the distances and difficulty of
    the march renders this almost impossible.  The chronology and distances,
    taking the names of some of the stages from Clavigero, II. 117, and
    the distances from Humboldts map, may have been as follows; Retreat
    from Mexico to Popotla, 1st July, 9 miles.  March to Quauhtitlan, 2d
    July, 10 miles.  To Xoloc, 3d July, 13 miles.  To Zacamolco, 4th July,
    10 miles.  To Otompan, 5th July, 3 miles:—­and indeed these dates are
    sufficiently confirmed by Diaz himself in the sequel.—­E.

[11] According to Clavigero, II. 118, this standard was a net of gold
    fixed to a staff ten palms long, which was firmly tied to his back,
    and was called by the Mexicans Tlahuizmatlaxopilli.—­E.

[12] Cortes entered Mexico with above 1300 men, and there were there under
    Alvarado about 75.  Of these above 870 were slain, down to the close of
    the battle of Otumba; so that about 500 still remained under the
    command of Cortes.  Diaz reckons only 440; but these were probably
    exclusive of such as were entirely disabled from service by their
    wounds.—­E.

SECTION XI.

Occurrences from the Battle of Otumba till the march of Cortes to besiege Mexico.

Immediately after the victory, we resumed our march for Tlascala, cheered by our success, and subsisted on a kind of gourds, called ayotes, which we found in the country through which we passed.  We halted for the night in a strong temple, being occasionally alarmed by detached parties of the Mexicans, who still kept hovering about us, as if determined to see us out of their country.  From this place we were rejoiced at seeing the mountains of Tlascala, being anxious to ascertain the fidelity of these allies, and to hear news from our friends at Villa Rica.  Cortes warned us to be exceedingly cautious of giving any offence to the Tlascalans, and particularly enforced this advice on the soldiers of Narvaez, who were less accustomed to discipline.  He said that he hoped to find our allies steady in their attachment; but if they should have changed in consequence of our misfortunes, although we were now only 440 strong, all wounded and ill armed, we still possessed vigorous bodies and firm minds to carry us through, if necessary, to the coast.  We now arrived at a fountain on the side of a hill, where we came to a rampart built in ancient times as a boundary between the state of Tlascala and the dominions of Mexico.  We halted here, and then proceeded to a town called Gualiopar, or Huejotlipan, where we halted one day, and procured