HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



47 



to their camp, fighting all the way with the troops of 

 the enemy, who fell upon the rear-guard. The armies 

 of Sandoval and Alvarado had fimilar contefts, the 

 befieged being obliged to oppofe, at the fame time, three 

 mod numerous armies, fuperior to them in arms, in 

 horfes, in the brigantines, and in military difcipline. 

 Alvarado, on his fide, had now demoliflied all the 

 houfes, from one end to the other, on both fides of the 

 road of Tlacopan (e) 9 for the habitations of the capital 

 were continued on that road unto the continent or main 

 land, according to the accounts both of Cortes and Ber- 

 nal Diaz. 



Cortes would willingly have faved his troops the 

 trouble and fatigue of daily repeating their engagements 

 to take the fame ditches and intrenchments, but he 

 could not leave a garrilbn to preferve thofe acquifitions, 

 without facrificing it to the fury of the enemy, nor was 

 he willing to encamp within the city, as fome of his cap- 

 tains advifed him ; for, befides the incelfant aiTault which 

 they muft have endured from the enemy, they could not 

 from thence fo eafily as from the poft of Xoloc prevent 

 fupplies from coming into the city. 



While fuccours were daily diminifliing to the befieged, 

 thofe of the befiegers were gradually increafmg ; and at 

 this very juncture they received one which was as ad- 

 vantageous for them as it was hurtful to the enemy. 

 The inhabitants of the cities fituate upon the border 

 and little iflands of the lake of Chalco, had been hither- 

 to the enemies of the Spaniards, and could have done 



much 



(e) Thefe houfes were not built on the road itfelf, but upon little iflands 

 near to it, on both fides. We do not find that there was any other building 

 upon the road but a temple, fituated on that part where the road broadened 

 out, and formed a little fquare. This temple was taken by Alvarado, who 

 kept a garrifon there almoft the whole time of the fiege. 



