And from thence he traueled thrée dayes in a countrey inhabitable, and passed some necessitie of hunger, & much more of thirst, bicause all the water that they founde was saltishe, and many of his men for wante of other dranke thereof, whereof they fell into sickenesse: and sodainely fel a meruaylous Hayle with great colde, whiche increased their griefe, yea and the _Indians_ of their company thought there to ende theyr liues, & some of the _Indians_ of _Cuba_ died there through nakednesse, not being accustomed to so cold a countrey. After the fourth iourney of euill way they ascended vp an other hil, and vpon the toppe therof, (to their iudgement) they founde a thousande carte loade of wood ready cut, neare to a little tower of idolles: they named that place the porte of wood: & hauing passed twoo leagues from the porte of wood, they founde the countrey barren and poore, but soone after the army came to a place whiche they named white Castell, bicause the Lordes house was of stone very white and newe, and the beste that they had séene in all that countrey, and so curiously wrought, that they meruayled thereat: that towne in their language is called _Zaclotan_, and the valley neare vnto it is name _Zacatami_, and the Lordes name is _Olintlec_, who receyued _Cortes_ honorably, and prouided for him and his company abundantly, being so commaunded by _Mutezuma_, as hée reported afterwarde. [Sidenote: A straunge ioy.] And in token that he had receyued that cömission from his Lorde, he commaunded fiftie men to be sacrificed for ioy, whose bloud they sawe newe and freshe. The townes men of that towne caried the Spanyardes on their shoulders, on suche beares as we carry dead men to Churche. _Cortes_ enformed them (by his enterpreters) of the cause of his comming into that countrey, as he had vsed in other places, & demaunded whether he the Lorde of this towne were tributary to _Mutezuma_. This _Cazike_ being amazed at his question, answered, saying: What is he that is not eyther slaue or vassall to the great _Mutezuma_. Then _Cortes_ certified him, who and what the Emperour king of Spayne was, willing him to be his friend and seruitour, & further enquired if he had any golde to sende him some. This _Cazike_ answered that he would do nothing without the commaundement of his Lorde, nor yet send his king any golde although he had inough. _Cortes_ dissimuled the matter, and helde his peace, yet by and by he desired to knowe the Maiestie and mightie power of _Mutezuma_, the _Cazike_ answered, that _Mutezuma_ was Lorde of the whole worlde, and that he had thirtie Vassals who were able to make a .100000. men of warre: eche one of them he also certified that he sacrificed .20000. men yerely to his Goddes: And also his dwellyng was in the most beautyfullest and strongest cittie of al that euer was enhabited, likewise (quoth he) his house and courte is moste greate, noble, and replenished with Gentlemen, his riches incredible, and his charges excessiue.