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Show BOOK X. '--v--" I'I I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. phce difpofed to difputc his entrance. They attacked tl~e Spaniards with their ufual fury, and fought couragcouOy for fomc tlme; but at length becoming unable to withfl:and the fire of. their ~uns, :tn~ the impetLiolity of the horfc.:s, they rctrcat~d to the ctty. 1 he pantards, on accou nt of its being late, lodged ttl a large houfe of the fuburb s. The next day the Tlaf'calans fct fire to many houfes of the city, and, during ox days, which the Spaniards . remained there, they had ontinual fkirmi{hcs, and fome f.unous duels were fought between the TJ afcalans and the citizens of Tla opan ; but they both fought with extreme urJ.very, and vented the hatred which they bore each other in a thoufitnd reproaches. Thofc of Tlacopan called the Tlafcalans the damfcls of the Spaniards, without whofe proteCtion they never w uld have dared to advance fo ncar to that city. The Tlafcalans anfwered in their turn, that the Mexicans, and all their partizan s, rather ought to have the name of women given them; being fo fuperior in number and yet never able to fubduc the Tlafcalans. The Spaniards themfelves did not efcape from infults of this kind. They were ironically invited to enter Mexico to command there like lords, and to enjoy all the pleafures of life. " Do you think Chriil:ian," they faid to Cortes, " that things will go on in the fame way as they did lail: time ? Perhaps •' you imagine there is another Montezuma reigning in Mexico de" voted to your pleafurcs ? Enter, enter the court, where you will " all be made a facrifice to the gods." During the engagements, which they had in thofe fix days, the Spaniards entered that fatal road and approached to thofe memorable ditches, where, nine months before they had been fo cruelly defeated. They found there a terrible refiil:ance, and in an inil:ant they apprehended to be utterly de.lhoyed ; for by being bufied in purfuing fome Mexican troops who had come delignedly to infult them, and lead them into danger, they found themfelves uncxp<.!Cl:cdly attacked, from both quarters on the road, by :uch a numerous enemy, that they with ditliculty retreated, combatmg moft furiouOy uutil they came to the main land. In this onfiicr five Spaniards were killed and many wounded. Of the Mexicans, man~ were ~ain. in this and the other ellgageuwnts. .ortes, dilguft(! d With the 11l fuccefs of h1s e pedition, returned with his army by the fame road to Tezcuco> fuifcring new iniults from the enemy in his· 8 Jnarch, II I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. 149 march, who a(cribcci his rctre:tt to ft:ar and cowardice. The Tlafca- nooK x. bns, who accompan ied the p.1niar is in their expedition, having a- ~ maffe i a hrge quantity of fpoil s, cbnandcd permiffion of Cortes to carry them into their own count ry, which was readily granted. . Sandoval, who, in the :~bfcnce f C' rtes, had taken C•tre of that poll:, depa rted from it two days after the arr ival of that general with twenty horCes, three· hundred Sp:t 11iards, "nd a great number of all ies, to the fuccour of the Chalchcfe, who were apprchenfive of a fl:rong affi1ult ·from the Mexicans; but having found a great number of the troops of Hucxtot:t;inco and ~a uqu ec holl an , who were come to their al1iil:ancc, and knowing that the greatcil: damage was done to that city by the Mexicans, who were in the garrifon of Huaxtepec, a city fitu-ated in the mountains, fifteen miles to the fouthward of Chalco, he proceeded there. On their march they were attacked by two great bo-dies of the enemy, but they quickly defcnted them; this was owing in a great mcafure to the immenfe multitude of allies, whom the Spa-niards took with them. They entered into Hllaxtepec, and lodged themfclves in fome great houfcs of that city, to reil: themfclves and cure their wounded; but immediately they had a new alllUlt from the Mexicans, and were compelled to take up arms again to repulfc them. Having defeated and purfucd them upwards of three miles until they were entirely routed, they returned to the city, where they halted two days. Huaxtepec was a ci ty at that time famous not only for its ex-cellent manufatl:ures of cotton, but alfo for its wonderful garden, of which we have already made mention. From Huaxtepec Sandoval fent meficngers to offer peace to the inhabital; ts of Jacapichtla, a very il:rong place about fix miles difl:ant, fituated on the top of a mountain, almoll: inacceffible to cavalry, and defended by a competent garrifon of Mexicans; but his propofo.1ls being rejeCted, he marched towards that city, determined to il:rike a blow ' there, which woula humble their pride, and for ever deliver the Chalchcfe from the evils whi h harraffed them continually from that quarter. The Tlafcal ans, and other allies, were intimidated by the fight of fo much ditliculty ami danger; but Sandoval, animated by th'lt great fpirit wh1 h di fp l:tycd itfclf in all his aCtions, refolved to conquer or die. He began to afcend with his infimtry, having to furmount at the fcunc S f CT.VJJ. Ex pt·ditiou ag-ainft I hta x tcp ~ c. |