CHAPTER LXXIV.

_How the old caziques of Tlascalla arrived in our camp and invited

Cortes, and all of us to visit their city, and what further

happened._

The old caziques of Tlascalla finding that we did not arrive in their

city, determined to call upon us themselves, and set out, some on foot

and some in sedans and a species of hand-barrow. Besides those I

mentioned above, (Maxixcatzin and the blind Xicotencatl, the elder,)

there were Guaxolacima, Chichimeclatecl, and Tecapaneca of Topoyanco.

Their suite was composed of several distinguished personages. When they

arrived in presence of Cortes they paid him the profoundest respect,

making him and us who stood around three deep bows. They likewise

perfumed with copal, touched the ground with their hands, and kissed it.

The elder Xicotencatl then addressed Cortes as follows:

"Malinche! Malinche! often have we begged of you to forgive the hostile

attacks we made upon you. We have already explained to you that we

imagined you were in league with Motecusuma. Indeed, if we had known

before what we now do, instead of refusing you admission, we would not

only have marched out to meet you by the shortest route with a quantity

of provisions, but have come to the very coast where your vessels lie,

in order to conduct you hither. But, as you have now pardoned all this,

I am come with all the caziques to beg of you to accompany us

immediately to our city, and to construct in good part the reception

which we intend to give you there according to the best of our

abilities. Stay all other business for the present, Malinche, we beg of

you, and go with us now. We greatly deplore that the Mexicans should

have attempted to poison your mind with all manner of falsehoods

respecting us, and that this should alone have withheld you from paying

us a visit. We are quite accustomed to their slanders. You must not

believe them, no, nor even listen to them, for all their actions and

words are full of deceit."

To which Cortes said, with serenity depicted on his countenance, "He

knew years ago that we should one time visit this country. They were a

brave people, and he was astonished they should have treated us as

enemies. With regard to the Mexicans who were now present, they were

merely waiting his commands to return to their monarch Motecusuma. He

joyously accepted of their invitation to visit their city, and thanked

them for the provisions they had sent, and also for all their other

kind offers; they might depend upon our services in return. The reason

why he had not visited them before this was solely owing to our want of

men to transport the tepuzques," so they termed our cannon. When they

heard this, they appeared exceedingly pleased, and immediately cried

out, "How! was it nothing but this, and you would not tell us?" And,

sure enough, scarcely half an hour elapsed before there were 500 porters

on the spot, so that next morning early we were enabled to set out for

the metropolis of Tlascalla. We marched forward as usual, with the heavy

guns, the horse, the crossbow-men, and musketeers, in close order.

Cortes had also requested the Mexican ambassadors to accompany us, in

order that they might convince themselves that the people of Tlascalla

were sincere. To allay their apprehensions, he assured them they should

live in his own quarters, and not be molested.

Before, however, I proceed with my narrative, I must explain how it

happened that Cortes was termed Malinche by all the tribes through whose

territories we had passed. I myself in future will call him by that

name, excepting there where it would be improper. This name was given to

him because our interpretress Dona Marina was always about his person,

particularly when ambassadors arrived, and in our negotiations with the

several caziques, as on those occasions she interpreted for both

parties. They therefore called him the captain of Marina, and contracted

that appellation in the word Malinche.[29] This name was likewise given

to Juan Perez de Artenga of Puebla, because he always accompanied Dona

Marina, and to Geronimo de Aguilar for a similar reason. The former of

these two even retained the name of Juan Perez Malinche. Our entry into

the metropolis of Tlascalla took place twenty-four days after we had

crossed the confines of the country, the 23d day of September, in the

year of our Lord 1519.

[29] For Marina, as appears from several passages in Torquemada and

other writers, was called by the inhabitants Malintziu. (p. 176.)