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.  Though ill, I could not refuse when applied to in this manner; wherefore, taking two friends along with me who could endure fatigue, we set out following the course of a stream, and soon found a way to some houses, by observing marks of boughs having been cut.  Following these marks, we came in sight of a village surrounded by fields of corn; but we remained concealed till we thought the people were asleep, and taking the inhabitants by surprise, we secured three men, two very handsome Indian girls, and an old woman, with a few fowls and a small quantity of maize.  On bringing our prize to head-quarters, Sandoval was quite overjoyed.  “Now,” said he to Pedro de Ircio in the presence of Cortes, “was not Castillo in the right, when he refused to take hobbling people along with him, who tell old stories of the adventures of the Conde de Urena and his son Don Pedro Giron?” All who were present laughed heartily at this sally, as Ircio used to pester us with these stories continually, and Sandoval knew that Ircio and I were not on friendly terms.  Cortes paid me many compliments on this occasion, and thanked me for my good service.  But what is praise more than emptiness, and what does it profit me that Cortes said he relied on me, next to God, for procuring guides?  We learnt from the prisoners that it was necessary to descend the river for two days march, when we would come to a town of two hundred houses,