Anxious to stop this treason, and not hearing promptly from Las Casas, Cortes had gathered his forces for a start. With a large body of Spaniards, and three thousand Mexicans, headed by their chiefs, all under the command of himself and Sandoval, he set out by land for that region. After passing Coatzacuales,[20] where he was received with fire-works and every demonstration of joy, his march was perhaps as perilous and trying as any adventure of his life. It lay through a wild and uninhabited country, intersected by rivers, and covered with tangled forests, which completely shut out the light of day. They were forced to construct bridges for passing the streams, and to cut their way through the thick woods that surrounded them. Starvation and disease followed in their track; they ate such roots and berries as they could find: multitudes perished. At one time Cortes was compelled to punish his soldiers for seizing and devouring some of the natives. With an undying perseverance he pushed his way on, and at length reached the region for which he had started, only to find that all was in submission. Las Casas had faithfully carried out his orders. In the mean time, Ponce de Leon had arrived in the country, but died before he was able to execute the King’s commands. The enemies of Cortes, however, were still alive and active; every agent sent out by the King acted as a spy upon the leader; every vessel that sailed from the New World carried home false accusations against him. The Bishop of Burgos still plead with the King. At last his suspicions were aroused; he became jealous of the growing fame and power of Cortes, and issued a commission to “investigate his conduct, and subject him to all the rigors of justice.”