FORAYS OF CORTEZ REDUCTION OF THE EASTERN REGIONS. 53 



commander who had led them through success and defeat with 

 equal skill. 



Accordingly Cortez did not allow his men to remain long in 

 idle garrisons, brooding over the past, or becoming moody and 

 querulous. If he could not conquer a nation by a blow, he 

 might perhaps subdue a tribe by a foray, while the military suc- 

 cess, or golden plunder, would serve to keep alive the fire of 

 enterprise in the breasts of his troopers. His first attack, after 

 he had recruited the strength of his men, was on the Tepeacans, 

 whom he speedily overthrew, and in whose chief town of Tepeaca, 

 on the Mexican frontier, he established his head quarters, in the 

 midst of a flourishing and productive district, whence his supplies 

 were easily gathered. Here he received an invitation from the 

 cacique of Quauhquechollan, — a town of thirty thousand inhabi- 

 tants, whose chief was impatient of the Mexican yoke, — to march 

 to his relief. Olid was despatched on this expedition ; but getting 

 entangled in disputes and frays with the Cholulans, whose people 

 he assaulted and took prisoners, Cortez himself assumed command 

 of the expedition. In fact, the conqueror was singularly unfor- 

 tunate in the conduct of his subordinates, for all his disasters arose 

 from confidence in men whose judgment or temper was unequal 

 to the task and discipline of control. In the assault and capture 

 of this town, Cortez and his men obtained a rich booty. They 

 followed up the blow by taking the strong city of Itzocan, which 

 had also been held by a Mexican garrison ; and here, too, the 

 captors seized upon rich spoils, while the Indian auxiliaries were 

 soon inflamed by the reports of booty, and hastened in numbers to 

 the chief who led them to victory and plunder. 



Cortez returned to Tepeaca from these expeditions, which were 

 not alone predatory in their character, but were calculated to pave 

 the way for his military approach once more to the city of Mexico, 

 as soon as his schemes ripened for the conquest. The ruling idea 

 of ultimate success never for a moment left his mind. From 

 Tepeaca he despatched his officers on various expeditions, and 

 marched Sandoval • against a large body of the enemy lying 

 between his camp and Vera Cruz. These detachments defeated 

 the Mexicans in two battles ; reduced the whole country which is 

 now known as lying between Orizaba and the western skirts of the 

 plain of Puebla, and thus secured the communication with the sea- 

 coast. Those who are familiar with the geography of Mexico, 

 will see at a glance, with what masterly generalship the dispo- 



