The next day after _Twelfth_ day, being the seventh of _January_, 1637. at midnight I set out of _Petapa_ upon a lusty Mule (which afterwards in the way I sold for fourscore peeces of eight) with _Miguel Dalva_ alone; and the first part of the way being very hilly we could not goe so fast as our hearts would have posted; for it was breake of day before we could get to the top of the mountaine, which is called _Serro Redondo_, or the round hill; which is much mentioned in that Countrey, for the good pasture there which serveth for the Cattell and Sheep, when the valleys below are burnt and no grasing left for Beasts. This hill is also a great refuge to Travellers, for there they find good entertainment in a _Venta_, where wine and provision is sold, and is a great Lodge, for to lay up dry what carriages they bring; there is besides one of the best Estancia's or farmes of Cattell in the Countrey, where of Goats and Ewes milke is made the best cheese thereabouts. This round hill or mountaine is five leagues from _Petapa_, where I feared I might meet with some people of _Petapa_, and therefore the day now dawning I made haste by it, leaving in the lodge asleep many _Indians_, who attended on two _Spanish_ Requa's of Mules, which that day were to goe to _Petapa_; foure leagues further from this _Serro Redondo_ is a Towne of _Indians_ called _Los Esclavos_, or the Slaves, not that now they are more slaves then the rest of the _Indians_, but because in the old time of _Montezuma_ the Emperour, and the _Indian_ Kings that were under him, the people of this Towne were more slaves then any other, for from _Amatitlan_ (which is so called from _Amat_, which in the _Mexican_ tongue signifieth Letter, and _Itlan_ which signifieth Towne, for that it was the Towne of Letters as some say, for a rine of a tree, whereon they were wont formerly to write and expresse their minds, or because it was the place whither from all parts letters were sent to be carried about the Countrey, and to _Peru_) these _Indians_ of the Towne of _Esclavo's_ or slaves, were commanded as slaves to goe all about the Countrey with letters, or whatsoever else they should be charged with; and they were bound constantly to send every week so many of their Towne (as were appointed) unto _Amatitlan_, there to wait and attend the pleasure of that Towne for the conveying of letters, or any carriages to other parts.