CHAPTER VII
Our varying fortunes with the Totonacs of Cempoala and Quiahuitztlan; and of our letters to his majesty the king of Spain.
It were at the same time to run into a harbor about four miles from the town. We marched along the coast and to several towns subject to the town of Cempoala, from which came the five Indians we had led to Cortes on the sand dunes. In these smaller towns we found idol-temples stained with blood, and incense pans and other things with which they made their sacrifices. But not an Indian. They had never seen men like us before, nor horses, and had fled through fear. We were forced to go hungry to bed.
Next day we struck inland, towards the west, and now twelve natives, dwellers on the farms where we had slept the night before, came towards us, bringing fowls and maize bread. The food, they said, their cacique had sent for us to eat, and he begged us to visit his town, which was one sun, or one day's
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