hold all food and not permit us to go further toward his great city.
While this conference was going on, three of our Cempoalan friends came in and secretly told Cortes that in the streets close by their quarters they had found deep holes, so covered over with wood and earth that without careful inspection they would not be noticed; and that they had had the curiosity to remove the earth from off one of the holes and had found pointed stakes sticking up from the bottom, no doubt set there to wound our horses when they fell into the holes. Moreover, the housetops had breastworks of burnt bricks and heaps of stones, while thick timbers barricaded one of the streets.
At this very moment also eight Tlaxcalans, who had had orders not to enter Cholula, arrived from their quarters outside the city and said, "Beware of the treachery that is going on in this town, Malinche. Last night the Cholulans sacrificed to their god of war seven persons, among them five children, so that the god may grant them victory over you. They are moving their wives and children out of town and all their belongings."
When Cortes heard this he sent the Tlaxcalans back to their caciques with orders to be ready if we should summon them, and turning to the caciques and papas told them to have no fear and to remain true to the obedience they had pledged him, other-
