We happened to have a very large dog along with us, which belonged to Francisco de Lugo, which used to bark very loud during the night, to the great surprise of the natives, who asked our Chempoallan allies if that terrible animal was a lion or tiger which we had brought to devour them.  They answered that this creature attacked and devoured whoever offended us; that our guns discharged stones which destroyed our enemies, and that our horses were exceedingly swift and caught whoever we pursued.  On this the others observed that with such astonishing powers we certainly were teules.  Our allies also advised them to beware of practising any thing against us, as we could read their hidden thoughts, and recommended them to conciliate our favour by a present.  They accordingly brought us several ornaments of much debased gold, and gave us four women to make bread, and a load of mantles.  Near some of the temples belonging to this place I saw a vast number of human skeletons arranged in such exact order that they might easily be counted with perfect accuracy, and I am certain there were above an hundred thousand.  In another part immense quantities of human bones were heaped up in endless confusion.  In a third, great numbers of skulls were suspended from beams, and watched by three priests.  Similar collections were to be seen everywhere as we marched through this district and the territories of Tlascala.

On consulting the cacique of Xocotla respecting the road to Mexico, he advised us to go through Cholula; but our allies strongly dissuaded us from that route, alleging that the people were very treacherous, and that the town was always occupied by a Mexican garrison, and repeated the former advice of going by Tlascala, assuring us of a friendly reception there.  Cortes accordingly sent messengers before us to Tlascala announcing our approach, and bearing a crimson velvet cap as a present.  Although these people were ignorant of writing, yet Cortes sent a letter by his messengers, as it was generally understood to carry a sanction of the message which was to be delivered.  We now set out for Tlascala, in our accustomed order of march, attended by twenty principal inhabitants of Xocotla.  On arriving at a village in the territory of Xalacingo[3], where we received intelligence that the whole nation of the Tlascalans were in arms to oppose us, believing as to be in alliance with their inveterate enemies the Mexicans, on account of the number of Mexican subjects who attended our army.  So great was their suspicion on this account, that they imprisoned our two messengers, for whose return we waited two days very impatiently.  Cortes employed the time in exhorting the Indians to abandon their idolatry and to reconcile themselves to our holy church.  At the end of these two days, we resumed our march, accompanied by two of the principal people of this place whom Cortes demanded to attend us, and we soon afterwards met our messengers who had made their escape,