HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



57 



the enemy, into the ftate it was in before the fiege com- 

 menced. 



In the mean while the Spaniards kept themfelves 

 upon the defence in their camps, curing their wounded, 

 and recruiting themfelves for future combats ; but in or- 

 der alfo that the Mexicans might not avail themfelves of 

 their idlenefs, Cortes ordered the brigantines to go two 

 by two to cruize upon the lake. The Mexicans, fen- 

 fible of the fuperiority of the Spanifh veffels and arms* 

 and though not able to equal the laft, they endeavoured 

 in fome meafure to match the brigantines. They had 

 for this purpofe conftru&ed thirty large veffels, called by 

 the Spaniards periaguas, well finiftied, and covered with 

 thick planks, to enable them to combat in them without 

 fo much danger of being damaged. They determined 

 to lay an ambufcade for the brigantines in one of the 

 fmall woods, or thickets of reeds, formed by the floating 

 fields of the lake, and fixed in feveral places large ftakes 

 under water that the brigantines might ftrike upon thenir 

 and founder, or at leaft be made lefs capable of defence* 

 Having prepared their ambufcade, they fent out two or 

 three little ordinary veffels from among the reedy places 

 of the lake, that they might, by attracting the notice of 

 the brigantines, lead them in their flight towards the 

 place of the ambufcade. The Spaniards, as foon as they 

 faw them, gave them chafe, but while they were in the 

 heat of the purfuit, the brigantines (truck upon the 

 ftakes, and at the fame time, the thirty large veffels came 

 out, and attacked them on every quarter. The Spa* 

 niards were in great danger of lofing not only their vef- 

 fels, but their lives; but while the fmall guns kept the 

 enemy in play, fome expert fwimmers had time to clear 

 the ftakes, upon which being freed from this hindrance, 



Vol. III. I they 



