EXECUTION OF VILLAFANA BRIGANTINES LAUNCHED. 63 



despatches, which were to be suddenly presented, as if just arrived 

 from Castile.- But,* a day before the consummation of the treach- 

 ery, one of the party threw himself at the feet of Cortez and 

 betrayed the project, together with the fact, that, in the possession 

 of Villafana, would be found a paper containing the names of his 

 associates in infamy. 



Cortez immediately summoned the leaders whose lives were 

 threatened, and, after a brief consultation, the party hastened to 

 the quarters of Villafana accompanied by four officers. The arch 

 conspirator was arrested, and the paper wrested from him as he 

 attempted to swallow it. He was instantaneously tried by a 

 military court, — and, after brief time for confession and shrift, 

 was swung by the neck from the casement of his quarters. The 

 prompt and striking sentence was executed before the army knew 

 of the crime ; and the scroll of names being destroyed by Cortez, 

 the memory of the meditated treachery was forever buried in 

 oblivion. The commander, however, knew and marked the men 

 whose participation had been so unexpectedly revealed to him ; 

 but he stifled all discontent by letting it be understood that the 

 only persons who suffered for the shameful crime had made no 

 confession ! He could not spare men from his thin ranks even at 

 the demand of justice ; for even the felons who sought his life 

 were wanted in the toils and battles of his great and final enter- 

 prise. 



It was on the 28th of April, 1521, amid the solemn services of 

 religion, and in the presence of the combined army of Spaniards 

 and Indians, that the long cherished project of launching the 

 brigantines was finally accomplished. They reached the lake 

 safely through the canal which had been dug for them from the 

 town of Tezcoco. 



The Spanish forces, designed to operate in this last attack, 

 consisted of eighty-seven horse and eight hundred and eighteen 

 infantry, of which one hundred and eighteen were arquebusiers 

 and crossbowmen. Three large iron field pieces and fifteen brazen 

 falconets formed the ordnance. A plentiful supply of shot and 

 balls, together with fifty thousand copper-headed arrows, composed 

 the ammunition. Three hundred men were sent on board the twelve 

 vessels which were used in the enterprise, for unfortunately, one of 

 the thirteen that were originally ordered to be built, proved useless 

 upon trial. The navigation of these brigantines, each one of which 

 carried a piece of heavy cannon, was, of course, not difficult, for 



