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.  They advised us therefore, if we were determined to persevere, to choose the obstructed road, and offered to send a number of their people to clear it for us.  Cortes thanked them for their good advice, of which he would avail himself by the blessing of GOD.  Having halted for the night at Izcalpan, we resumed our march early the next morning, and reached the summit of a mountainous ridge about noon, where we found the two roads exactly as they had been described to us.  We halted here in order to deliberate on our procedure, when Cortes called the Mexican ambassadors to explain the meaning of the felled trees.  Pretending ignorance on this subject, they advised him to take the road of Chalco, where they said he would be well received.  Cortes chose however to take the other road, and sent on our Indian allies to clear the way before us.  As we ascended the mountain, the weather became piercingly cold, and we even had a considerable fall of snow, which covered the whole country round about.  We at length arrived at certain houses which had been built on the very top of the mountain for the accommodation of travellers, where we found an abundant supply of provisions, and having placed proper guards, we halted here for the night.  We resumed our march next morning, and arrived by the hour of high mass at the town of Halmanalco, where we were hospitably received.  The people of the neighbouring districts of Chalco, Amaquemecan, and Ajotzinco, where the canoes are kept, waited on Cortes at this place with a present of about 150 crowns in gold, some mantles, and eight women.  Cortes received them affably, and promised them his friendship and protection; explaining to them, as on former occasions, the doctrines of our holy faith, exhorting them to abandon their idolatry and barbarous immolation of human victims, informing them that he was sent among them by a powerful monarch to redress wrongs, and to lead them in the way of eternal salvation.  On this the people began to make loud complaints of the tyranny of Montezuma, who deprived them of their wives and daughters if handsome, forcing the men to work like slaves in the conveyance of stones, timber, and corn, and appropriating their lands to the service of his temples.  Cortes gave them kind assurances of speedy redress, but recommended to them to be patient yet a little while.