From Coatzacualco, Cortes sent orders to Simon de Cucena, one of his major-domos, to freight two light vessels at Villa Rica with biscuit made of maize flour, as there was then no wheat in Mexico, wine, oil, vinegar, pork, iron, and other necessaries, and to proceed with them along the coast till he had farther directions. Cortes now gave orders for all the settlers of Coatzacualco who were fit for duty, to join the expedition. This was a severe disappointment to us, as our colony was composed of most of the respectable hildagos, the veteran conquerors, who expected to have been allowed to enjoy our hard earned houses and lands in peace, instead of which we were obliged to undertake an arduous expedition of five hundred leagues, which took us up above two years and a half of infinite fatigues. We had nothing for it but compliance, so that we armed ourselves and mounted our horses; being in all above 250 veterans, 130 of whom were cavalry, besides many soldiers newly arrived from Old Spain. I was immediately dispatched at the head of 30 Spaniards and 3000 Mexicans, to reduce the district of Cimatan, which was then in rebellion. My orders were, if I found the natives submissive, I was merely to quarter my troops on the natives, and do them no farther injury. But, if refractory, they were to be summoned three times in presence of a royal notary and proper witnesses, after which, if they still persisted in rebellion, I was to make war on them and compel them to submit. The people received me in a peaceable manner, for which reason I marched on with my detachment to rejoin Cortes at Iquinapa. In consequence of the veterans being withdrawn from Coatzacualco, these people revolted again in a few months after. After I left him, the general proceeded with the rest of his troops to Tonala, crossing the river Aquacualco, and another river seven leagues from an arm of the sea, by a bridge a quarter of a league in length, which was constructed by the natives under the direction of two Spanish settlers of Coatzacualco. The army then proceeded to the large river Mazapa, called by seamen Rio de dos bocas, or Two-mouth river, which flows past Chiapa. Crossing this by means of double canoes, they proceeded through several villages to Iquinapa, where my detachment rejoined the army. Crossing another river and an arm of the sea, on wooden bridges, we came to a large town named Copilco, where the province of Chontalpa begins; a populous district, full of plantations of cacoa, which we found perfectly peaceable. From thence we marched by Nicaxuxica and Zagutan, passing another river, in which the general lost some part of his baggage. We found Zagutan in peace, yet the inhabitants fled during the night; on which Cortes ordered parties out into the woods to make prisoners. Seven chiefs and some others were taken, but they all escaped from us again in the night, and left us without guides. At this place fifty canoes arrived at our quarters from Tabasco, loaded with provisions, and some also from Teapan, a place in my encomienda.

From Zagutan, we continued our march to Tepetitan, crossing a large river called Chilapa, where we were detained four days making barks. I here proposed sending five of our Indian guides to a town of the same name, which I understood was on the banks of this river, in order to desire the inhabitants to send their canoes to our assistance; which was accordingly done, and they sent us six large canoes and some provisions: Yet with all the aid we could procure, it took us four days to pass this river. From thence we went to Tepetitan, which was depopulated and burnt in consequence of a civil war. For three days of our march from the river Chilapa, our horses were almost constantly up to their bellies in the marshy grounds, and when we reached a place called Iztapa, it was found abandoned by the inhabitants; but several chiefs and others were brought in, who were treated kindly, and made the general some trifling presents of gold. As this place abounded in corn and grass, we halted three days to refresh the men and horses, and it was considered by Cortes as a good situation for a colony, being surrounded by a number of towns, which might serve as dependencies. Cortes received information from some travelling merchants at this place concerning the country he had to pass through, produced to them a map painted on cloth, representing the road to Huy-Acala, which signifies great Acala, there being another place of the same name. According to them, the way was much intersected by rivers, as, to reach a place named Tamaztepec, three days journey from Iztapa, there were three rivers and an arm of the sea to cross. In consequence of this intelligence, the general sent orders to the chiefs to provide canoes and construct bridges at the proper places, but neither of these things were done. Instead of three days, our march occupied us for a whole week; but the natives succeeded in getting quit of us, and we set out with only provisions of roasted maize and roots for three days, so that we were reduced to great straits, having nothing to eat but a wild plant called quexquexque, which inflamed our mouths. We were obliged to construct bridges of timber, at which every one had to labour from the general downwards; which detained us for three days. When we had crossed the last inlet, we were obliged to open a way through the woods with infinite labour, and after toiling in this manner for two days we were almost in despair. The trees were so thick that we could not see the sun; and on climbing to the top of one of the trees, we could not discover any thing but a continuation of the same impervious forest. Two of our guides had fled, and the only one who remained was utterly ignorant of the country. The resources of Cortes were quite inexhaustible, as he guided our way by a mariners compass, assisted by his Indian map, according to which the town of Huy-acala of which we were in search, lay to the east; but even he acknowledged that he knew not what might become of us, if we were one day longer of finding it out.

We who were of the advanced guard fortunately at this time fell in with the remains of some trees which had been formerly cut, and a small lane or path, which seemed to lead towards a town or village. The pilot Lopez and I returned to the main body with intelligence of this happy discovery, which revived the spirits of our whole army. We accordingly made all possible haste in that direction, and soon came to a river, on the opposite side of which we found a village named Tamaztepec, where, though abandoned by the inhabitants, we found plenty of provisions for ourselves and horses. Parties were immediately sent out in search of the natives, who soon brought back many chiefs and priests who were well treated, and both supplied us plentifully with provisions, and pointed out our road to Izguantepec, which was three days journey, or sixteen leagues from the town where we now were. During our journey to this place, our stage-dancer and three of the new come Spaniards died of fatigue, and many of the Mexicans had been left behind to perish. We discovered likewise that some of the Mexican chiefs who accompanied us, had seized some of the natives of the places through which we passed, and had eaten them to appease their hunger. Cortes very severely reprimanded all who had been concerned in this barbarous deed, and one of our friars preached a holy sermon on the occasion; after which, as an example to deter our allies from this practice in future, the general caused one against whom this crime had been most clearly proved, to be burnt. All had been equally guilty, but one example was deemed sufficient on the present occasion. Our poor musicians felt severely the want of the feasts they had been used to in Spain, and their harmony was now stopt, except one fellow; but the soldiers used to curse him, saying they wanted maize not music. It may be asked, how we did not lay our hands on the herd of swine belonging to Cortes in our present state of starvation? But these were out of sight, and the steward alleged they had been devoured by the alligators on passing one of the rivers: In reality, they were artfully kept four days march behind the army. During our route, we used to carve crosses on the bark of trees, with inscriptions bearing, that Cortes and his army had passed this way at such and such a time.