HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



to go and prepare the citizens for the death which they 

 would foon fuffer. 



In the mean time, numerous bodies of women and 

 children and low people came to furrender themfelves 

 to the Spaniards, haftening to extricate themfelves from 

 the impending danger ; fome of them, however, perifli- 

 ed, in attempting to fwim acrofs the ditches, for want of 

 ftrength. Gortes ordered no injury to be offered to 

 thofe who furrendered, and Rationed fome Spaniards in 

 different places, to check by their authority the barba- 

 rous cruelty of the allies; but in fpite of his orders, 

 more than fifteen thoufand men, women, and children, 

 perifhed in the hands of thofe furious and inhuman 

 troops. 



The nobles and warriors who remained obftinate 

 in their refolution to defend themfelves to the laft 

 moment, occupied the terraces of the houfes and 

 fome of their paved roads. Cortes obferving that 

 it was late and that they did not choofe to furrender* 

 made fome fhots of artillery be fired upon them; but 

 that not being fufficient, he difcharged an arquebufe as 

 a fignal for the affault. All the bcfiegers made the at- 

 tack at once, and preffed fo hard upon the feeble and 

 haraffed citizens, that finding no place within the city 

 to fly to, to defend themfelves from the fury of fo nu- 

 merous an enemy, many threw themfelves into the wa- 

 ter, and others came to furrender themfelves to the 

 conquerors. The Mexicans had prepared vefTels, to favc 

 themfelves by flight from the fury of the enemy; but 

 Cortes having been aware of this refource for efcape, 

 had given orders to Sandoval to take pofTeflion with the 

 brigantines of the port of Tlatelolco, and to feize every 

 bark. In fpite of the utmoft diligence employed by San- 

 doval, 



