66 



SIEGE AND ASSAULTS ON THE CITY. 



along the sides of the causeways, and aided by their enfilading 

 fires, the advance of the squadrons on land. The infantry and 

 cavalry advanced upon the great avenue that divided the town from 

 north to south. Their heavy guns were brought up and soon 

 mowed a path for the musketeers and crossbowmen. The flying 

 enemy retreated towards the great square in the centre of the city, 

 and were followed by the impetuous Spaniards and their Indian 

 allies. The outer wall of the Great Temple, itself, was soon 

 passed by the hot-blooded cavaliers, some of whom rushed up the 

 stairs and circling corridors of the Teocalli, whence they pushed 

 the priests over the sides of the pyramid and tore off the golden , 

 mask and jewels of the Aztec war-god. But the small band of 

 invaders had, for a moment only, appalled the Mexicans, who 

 rallied in numbers at this daring outrage, and sprang vindictively 

 upon the sacrilegious assailants. The Spaniards and their allies 

 fled ; but the panic with which they were seized deprived their 

 retreat of all order or security. Cortez, himself, was unable to 

 restore discipline, when suddenly, a troop of Spanish horsemen 

 dashed into the thick of the fight, and intimidating the Indians, by 

 their superstitious fears of cavalry, they soon managed to gather 

 and form the broken files of their Spanish and Indian army, so 

 that, soon after the hour of vespers, the combined forces drew 

 off with their artillery and ammunition to the barrack at Xoloc. 



About this period, the inhabitants of Xochimilco and some tribes 

 of rude but valiant Otomies gave in their adhesion to the Span- 

 iards. The Prince of Tezcoco, too, despatched fifty thousand 

 levies to the aid of Cortez. Thus strengthened, another attack 

 was made upon the city. Most of the injuries which had been 

 done to the causeways in the first onslaught had been repaired, so 

 that the gates of the capital, and finally the great square, were 

 reached by the Spaniards with nearly as great difficulty as upon 

 their former attempt. But this time the invaders advanced more 

 cautiously into the heart of the city, where they fired and destroyed 

 their ancient quarters in the old palace of Axayacatl and the 

 edifices adjoining the royal palace on the other side of the square. 

 These incursions into the capital were frequently repeated by 

 Cortez, nor were the Mexicans idle in their systematic plans to 

 defeat the Spaniards. All communication with the country, by 

 the causeways was permanently interrupted ; yet the foe stealthily, 

 and in the night, managed to evade the vigilance of the twelve 

 cruisers whose numbers were indeed insufficient to maintain a 

 stringent naval blockade of so large a city as Mexico. But the 



