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Show rso BOOK X. ~· H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. {amc time both the ruggcdnef! of the mountain, and the multitude of the enemy, who defended· it with a fho~cr of darts, and fl:ot~cs, fo~nc of which were of immoderate fi ze, and although they broke 111 fc1l1P1g on the rocks between, WOLl m.lc:d the Spaniards with the fragments ; but nothing oould rel1:r.1in them from entering the city bathed in f~eat and blood, after which example the allies did the f.une. The f;1t1gue and their wounds inflamed their indignation lo much, that they attacked the enemy with the utmoft fury; who, to efcape from their [words, fled down the precipices of the mountain. So much blood was ipilt, that it purpled a little £l:re:un which r,m there, and clunz.._d its waters fo, that for more than an hour the conquerors could not ufe it to quench the th irl1: which difl:re!It:d them(./); " This," fc1.ys Cortes, " was one of the moft ligna! viCtories, in which the Spaniards gave the "11:rongel1: proofs of their cour.1ge and conftancy." T)lis day cofl: the life of Gonzalo Dominguez, one of the braveft foldiers Cortes had, and whofe lofs was moft fenfibly felt by them all. The Mexicans were io enraged at the /laughter committed at Jacapichtla, that they fent twenty thoufand armed men, in two thoufand veffels, againft Chalco. The Chalchefe implored as before the alliftance of the Spa11iards, and their meifengers arrived j ull: as Sandoval returned from Jacapi~htla, with his army fatigued, cxhauil:ed, and wounded. Cortes, afcribing too inconfiderately thofe repeated hofl:ili ties of the Mexicans againfl: the Chalchefe to fomc neglect of tlut unparalleled commander, without fir11 enquiring into his conduct, heari ng, or allowing him a moment of repofe, commanded him to march immediately to Chalco with the foldiers who were .leall: wounded, to the a!1ill:ance of ~hofe all.ies. Sandoval was. extremely difgull:ed with the flight offered htm by lus.gcneral, at the tune he ought rather to have expec:te~ the greatcft. p~·a1.fes; but he had as much prudence in di1lembling h1s fenfe of t111S 111Jury, and as much readinefs to obey, as he had C1ewn c:our<~ge in that arduous enteprize. He fet out without delay for . (/) Bernal Diaz. ridicules Gom;ua for this nccount of the waters hnving been fo difcolou rrd w~th blood : but Dmz. was not prcfcnt nt this expedition, and we ought thcref(>rc to give rnore f:11t.h to Cortes, who fays, the flaughtcr which the Spaniards made of the cncrn and wh1ch the enemy rnndc of themfelvcs by precipitating themfelv~ s from that crnincnc~: was . fo ~rear, r.hat all who were J>rcfent affi~n\ that n little river which furroundcd almo1l all th :tt place, rem:uncd for UJ)IVards of 1111 hou&· lo t111gcd with bluod that they could not drink of it. Chalco; H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. Chalco; but when he arrived there he found the battle over, in which the Cl1:alchtft: rcmainc:d victorious, with the aHiftance of their new allies of Heuxotzinco and ~auhquet:hollan; and although they fuftained a confiderablc lofs, ,they killed a number of the enemy and made forty prifoners, among whom were a general of the army and two perfons of the fir{l: nobility, who were configned by the Chalchefe to Sandoval, and by him fent to Cortes. This general having difcovered his error, and being w 11 informed of the irreprehenfible conduct of Sandoval, endeavoured to appeafe his ju11: refcntment by particular marks of honour and efi:eem. Cortes being delirous of an accommodation with the court of Mexico, both in order to avoid the futiguc and diftrelfes of war, and to make himfdf mail:er of fo beautiful a city without ruining it, refolved to fend thofe two perfons who were prifoners. with a letter to king ~aubtemotzin; which, although it could not be underil:ood by the court, as they were tota11y ignorant of the charaCters of it, would howt:ver be a credential and token of his emba!Ty. He explained the contents of the letter to the mefiengers, and charged them to reprefent to their fovereign, that he pretended to nothing more than that the king of Spain fhould be acknowledged lord of that land, agreeable to· what had been granted by the Mexican nobiljty in t:hat refpecrablc· a!fembly which was held in Mexico, in prcfence of Montezuma.; that they ihould remember the homage which the Mexican lords then did· to the great monarch of the Eafi:; that he wi{hed. to efiablilh a peace, and to make a perpetual alliance with them, and was not difpofed to• w.ar unle~s confirained to it by their hoil:ilities ; that it would grieye 1um to fpdl fo mnch Mexican blood, and deftroy fuch a large and beau-tiful ci.ty; that th y themfelv.es werct witnefics of the bravery of the· Spaniards, the fuperiority of their arms, the multitude of their allies,. and the fucccfs of their enterprizes ; that they f11ould. finally reflect within themfel.ves,. and not oblige by their obil:inacy a war to be continued to the utter ruin of the couct and the empire .. The fruit of this emblify was foon difcov.ered in the lamentations of the Chalchefe, who knowing of the great force which was levying againft their ftate, came to implore· the a1liil:ance · of the Spaniards; . ihewina. BOOK 1"<'. .....--..r---J SHcT •. VITr. Fruit lcfs ncgociation of Cortes with the court of Mexico. |