60 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



fenfe of honour, from the love of their country and na- 

 tive liberty, they would not have been fo blameable ; 

 for, although they faw their ruin inevitable in continu- 

 ing the war, they had not much hope of bettering their 

 fortune by means of peace. The experience of pafl 

 events did nor permit them to confide in the promifes 

 which were made them ; on which account they muft 

 have reprefented to themfelves, that it was more con- 

 fident with ideas of honour to die with their arms in 

 their hands in defence of their native country and liberty, 

 than to abandon all to the ambition of thofe Grangers, 

 and reduce themfelves by a furrender to a wretched ftate 

 of flavery. 



Two days after the defeat of the Spaniards, fome 

 meffengers fent from the city of Quauhnahuac arrived 

 at the camp of Cortes, to complain of the great injuries 

 done them by their neighbours the Malinalchefe, who, 

 according to their affirmations, were going into confede- 

 racy with the Cohuicas, a very numerous nation, on pur- 

 pofe to deftroy Quauhnahuac, becaufe they had become 

 the allies of the Spaniards, and afterwards to pafs the 

 mountains to make an affault, with a large army, on the 

 camp of Cortes. This general, although he felt him- 

 felf rather in a ftate to demand afliftance than to give it, 

 neverthelefs, for the reputation of the Spanifli arms, and 

 to prevent the blow which was threatened, fent the cap- 

 tain Andrea de Tapia with the mefiengers two hundred 

 Spaniards, ten hories, and a large number of allies, with 

 orders to unite themfelves with the troops of Quauhna- 

 huac, and to do every thing which he thought would 

 conduce to the fervice of his king, and the fecurity of 

 the Spaniards. Tapia executed all that was enjoined 

 him by the general, and in a place fituated between 



Quauhnahuac 



