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fire to the reeds with which the tower was в O O K covered, compelled Narvaez to fally out. In the first encounter he was wounded in the eye with a fpear, and falling to the ground, was dragged down the steps, and in a moment clapt in fetters. The cry of victory refounded among the troops of Cortes. Those who had fallied out with their leader now maintained the conflict feebly, and began to furrender. Among the remainder of his foldiers, ftationed in two smaller towers of the temple, terror and confufion prevailed. The darkness was fo great, that they could not distinguish between their friends and foes. Their own artillery was pointed against them. Whereever they turned their eyes, they beheld lights gleaming through the obfcurity of night, which, though proceeding only from a variety of shining infects, that abound in moist and fultry climates, their affrighted imaginations represented as numerous bands of musketeers advancing with kindled matches to the attack. After a fhort refistance, the foldiers compelled their officers to capitulate, and before morning all laid down their arms, and fubmitted quietly to their conquerors.

of this vic

THIS complete victory proved more ac- The effects ceptable, as it was gained almoft without bloodfhed, only two foldiers being killed on the fide of

Cortes,

tory.

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BOOK Cortes, and two officers, with fifteen private nien, of the adverse faction. Cortes treated the vanquifhed not like enemies, but as countrymen and friends, and offered either to fend them back directly to Cuba, or to take them into his fervice, as partners in his fortune, on equal terms with his own foldiers. This latter propofition, seconded by a seasonable diftribution of some prefents from Cortes, and liberal promifes of more, opened profpects fo agreeable to the romantic expecta tions which had invited them to engage in this service, that all, a few partizans of Narvaez excepted, clofed with it, and vied with each other in profeffions of fidelity and attachment to a general, whofe recent fuccefs had given them fuch a striking proof of his abilities for command. Thus, by a series of events no less fortunate than uncommon, Cortes not only escaped from perdition which seemed inevitable, but, when he had least reafon to expect it, was placed at the head of a thousand Spaniards, ready to follow whereever he fhould lead them. Whoever reflects upon the facility with which this victory was ob tained, or confiders with what fudden and unanimous tranfition the followers of Narvaez ranged themselves under the standard of his rival, will be apt to afcribe both events as much to the intrigues as to the arms of Cortes, and cannot but fufpect that the ruin of Narvaez was occafioned,

V.

15

cafioned, no lefs by the treachery of his own BOOK followers, than by the valour of the enemy.

A few days

1520.

cans take arms against the Spa

BUT, in one point, the prudent conduct and The Mexigood fortune of Cortes were equally confpicuous. If, by the rapidity of his operations after he niards. began his march, he had not brought matters to fuch a speedy iffue, even this decifive victory would have come too late to have faved his companions whom he left in Mexico. after the discomfiture of Narvaez, a courier arrived with an account that the Mexicans had taken arms, and having feized and destroyed the two brigantines, which Cortes had built in order to fecure the command of the lake, and attacked the Spaniards in their quarters, had killed several of them, and wounded more, had reduced to ashes their magazine of provifions, and carried on hoftilities with fuch fury, that though Alvarado and his men defended themselves with undaunted refolution, they must either be foon cut off by famine, or fink under the multitude of their enemies. This revolt was excited by motives which rendered it ftill more alarming. On the departure of Cortes for Zempoalla, the Mexicans flattered themselves, that the long ex

c Cortes Relat. 242. D. B. Diaz. c. 110—125. Herrera, dec. 2. lib. ix. c. 18, &c. Gomara Chron. c. 97, &c. pected

BOOK'pected opportunity of reftoring their fovereign

V.

1520.

to liberty, and of vindicating their country from the odious dominion of ftrangers, was at length arrived; that while the forces of their oppreffors were divided, and the arms of one party turned against the other, they might triumph with greater facility over both. Confultations were held, and schemes formed with this intention. The Spaniards in Mexico, conscious of their own feeblenefs, fufpected and dreaded those machina

tions. Alvarado, though a gallant officer, poffeffed neither that extent of capacity, nor dignity of manners, by which Cortes had acquired fuch an afcendant over the minds of the Mexicans, as never allowed them to form a just estimate of his weakness or of their own ftrength. Alvarado knew no mode of fupporting his authority but force. Inftead of employing addrefs to difconcert the plans, or to footh the fpirits of the Mexicans, he waited the return of one of their folemn festivals, when the principal persons in the empire were dancing, according to custom, in the court of the great temple; he seized all the avenues which led to it, and, allured partly by the rich ornaments which they wore in honour of their gods, and partly by the facility of cutting off at once the authors of that confpiracy which he dreaded, he fell upon them, unarmed and unfufpicious of any danger, and maffacred a

great

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great number, none escaping but fuch as made BOOK their way over the battlements of the temple. An action fo cruel and treacherous filled not only the city, but the whole empire with indignation and rage. All called aloud for vengeance; and regardless of the fafety of their monarch, whofe life was at the mercy of the Spaniards, or of their own danger in affaulting an enemy who had been fo long the object of their terror, they committed all thofe acts of violence of which Cortes received an account.

back to the

To him the danger appeared fo imminent, as He marches to admit neither of deliberation nor delay. He fet capital. out instantly with all his forces, and returned from Zempoalla with no less rapidity than he had advanced thither. At Tlafcala he was joined by two thousand chofen warriors. On entering the Mexican territories he found that difaffection to the Spaniards was not confined to the capital The principal inhabitants had deserted the towns through which he paffed; no perfon of note appearing to meet him with the usual respect; no provifion was made for the fubfiftence of his troops; and though he was permitted to advance without oppofition, the folitude and filence which reigned in every place, and the horror with which the people avoided all intercourfe with him, difcovered a deep-rooted antipathy,"

VOL. III.

that