46 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



which they had taken levelled ; but while ten thoufand 

 of the allies were bufied in filling up the ditches, others 

 fet fire to and demoliflied fome of the temples, houfes, 

 and palaces, and, amongft others, that of king Axaja- 

 catl, where the Spaniards were formerly quartered, and 

 the celebrated palace of birds of Montezuma. After 

 having committed thofe hoflilities with great difficulty 

 and danger, on account of the efforts which the Mexi- 

 cans made to hinder them, Cortes founded a retreat, 

 which was happily effected, although the rear-guard 

 was inceffantly haraffed by the troops of the enemy. 

 The fame thing was performed by Sandoval and Alva- 

 rado in their quarter. This was indeed a day of great 

 fatigue to the Spaniards and their allies, but likewife of 

 unfpeakable affliction to the Mexicans, as much on ac- 

 count of fo many beautiful edifices which were deftroyed, 

 as the fcorn and mockery they fuffered from their own 

 vaffals who were leagued with the Spaniards, and from 

 their mortal enemies the Tlafcalans, who, while they 

 combated, fliewed the arms and legs of the Mexicans 

 whom they had flain, and threatened to eat them that 

 night to their fupper, as in fact they did. 



The next day, in order to give no time to the Mex- 

 icans to dig the ditches which had been filled up, or re- 

 pair the intrenchments which had been beat down, 

 Cortes fet out early from his camp, in the fame manner 

 as the preceding day; but, in fpite of his diligence, the 

 Mexicans had already renewed the greater part of the 

 fortifications, and defended them fo obftinately, that the 

 army of the befigers could not take them till after a 

 mofl furious engagement of five hours. The army pufh- 

 ed forward, and took two ditches on the road of Tlaco- 

 pan \ but the day being now near finiflied, they retired 



to 



