MEXIA THREATENED MOB ATTACKS THE PALACE. 193 



flame of discontent among the suffering Indians, Mestizos and 

 Creoles, who omitted no occasion to express their hatred of the 

 Spaniards, and especially of Tirol, who had been the viceroy's tool 

 in De la Serna's arrest. A fortnight elapsed after the occurrences 

 we have just detailed, and that daring officer had already delivered 

 his prisoner at Vera Cruz, and returned to Mexico. Popular 

 clamor at once became loud against him; whenever he appeared in 

 public he was assailed with curses and stones ; until, at last, an 

 enraged mob attacked him in his carriage with such violence that 

 it was alone owing to the swiftness of the mules, lashed by the 

 affrighted postillion, that he escaped into the viceroyal palace, 

 whose gates were immediately barred against his pursurers. 

 Meantime the news had spread over town that this " Judas," — 

 "this excommunicated dog," — had taken refuge with Gelves, 

 and the neighboring market place became suddenly filled with an 

 infuriated mob, numbering near seven thousand Indians, negroes 

 and mulattoes, who rushed towards the palace with the evident in- 

 tention of attacking it. Seeing this outbreak from a window, the 

 viceroy sent a message to the assailants desiring them to retire, and 

 declaring that Tirol had escaped by a postern. But the blood of the 

 people was up, and not to be calmed by excuses. At this junc- 

 ture several priests entered the crowd, and a certain Salazar was 

 especially zealous in exciting the multitude to summary revenge. 

 The pangs of hunger, were, for a moment, forgotten in the more 

 bitter excitement of religious outrage. By this time the mob ob- 

 tained whatever arms were nearest at hand. Poles, pikes, pistols, 

 guns, halberds, and stones were brought to the ground, and fierce 

 onsets were made on every accessible point of the palace. Neither 

 the judges nor the police came forward to aid in staying the riot 

 and protecting Gelves : — " Let the youngsters alone," exclaimed 

 the observers, " they will soon find out both Mexia and Tirol, as 

 well as their patron, and the wrongs of the people will be quickly 

 redressed ! " A portion of the mob drew off to an adjacent prison, 

 whose doors were soon forced and the convicts released. 



At length, things became alarming to the besieged inmates of 

 the palace, for they seemed to be entirely deserted by the re- 

 spectable citizens and police. Thereupon the viceroy ascended to 

 the azotea or flat roof of the palace with his guard and retainers, 

 and, displaying the royal standard, caused a trumpet to be sounded 

 calling the people to uphold the king's authority. But the reply 

 to his summons was still in an unrelenting tone — " Viva el Rey ! 

 Muera el mal gobierno ; mueran los dos comulgados ! " " Long 



