24 MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA 



Cozumel Island and took possession. He explored the 

 eastern coast of Yucatan as well as the northern and 

 western ones, discovered the mouth of the large river 

 that bears his name, and proceeded as far as the Island 

 of Sacrifices in the harbor of Vera Cruz. 



The next year Hernando Cortez was sent out by 

 Velasquez, the governor of Cuba, to conquer the new 

 land. He landed at Cozumel Island and rescued Ge- 

 ronimo de Aguilar. Then he followed the coast to the 

 mouth of the Grijalva River where he disembarked and 

 fought the important battle of Cintla, the first engage- 

 ment in the New World in which cavalry was used. 

 After a signal victory Cortez continued his way to Vera 

 Cruz. Here delay and dissension seemed about to 

 break the luck of the invaders. 



Although the Mexicans were somewhat inclined to 

 regard the Spaniards as supernatural visitants and to 

 associate their coming with the fabled return of Quet- 

 zalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent, still Moctezuma refused 

 to grant an interview to Cortez. The Totonacan city of 

 Cempoalan opened its gates and became allies of the 

 invaders. Finally, at the instigation of their stout- 

 hearted captain, the Spaniards destroyed their ships on 

 the shore in order to steel their resolution through the 

 impossibility of retreat. Then the little band of 450 

 white men with their retinue of natives marched towards 

 the highlands. The route led past Jalapa and over the 

 mountains to the fortified city of Tlaxcala. This city 

 after a skirmish likewise enlisted in the Spanish cause, 

 a course that came easy because Tlaxcala was a tra- 

 ditional enemy of Tenochtitlan, the ancient Mexico 

 City, and had withstood the attacks of the Aztecs for 

 many years. From here Cortez passed to the sacred 

 city of Cholula where, suspecting treachery, he caused 

 many of the inhabitants to be massacred. 



