HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



43 



fame time, each by his different road, with their troops, 

 which were not lefs than eighty thoufand in number. 

 Cortes marched along his road, with his numerous army 

 well marfhalled and flanked by the brigantines ; but had 

 advanced only a fliort way when they met with a broad 

 deep ditch and intrenchment more than ten feet high. 

 The Mexicans courageoufly oppofed their paffage, but 

 being beat back by the artillery from the brigantines, 

 the Spaniards paffed, purfuing the enemy as far as the 

 city, where they found another great ditch and a ftrong 

 and high intrenchment. The force of the water in this 

 ditch, the monftrous fwarms of the enemy who affembled 

 to defend it, their dreadful and menacing airs and the 

 unceafing ftiower of arrows, darts, and (tones, which 

 they difcharged, daggered for fome time the refolution 

 of the Spaniards ; but having at length, with the fire of 

 all the artillery and other arms, driven thofe from the 

 intrenchments who defended them, the army paffed and 

 advanced, taking other ditches and intrenchments, unto 

 the principal fquare of the city, which was full of people. 

 In fpite of the havoc they faw made on the multitude by 

 a large cannon planted in the entrance of the fquare, the 

 Spaniards dared not to enter there, until the general 

 himfelf, reproaching them for their ignominious fear and 

 charging intrepidly upon the enemy, infufed new cour- 

 age into his foldiers. The Mexicans, intimidated by fuch 

 great intrepidity, fled for flielter within the inclofure of 

 the greater temple, and finding themfelves attacked there 

 alfo, they took refuge in the upper area of the temple, 

 whither they were flill purfued ; but all on a fudden 

 the Spaniards found themfelves attacked behind by 

 other Mexican troops, and reduced to fuch difficulty, 

 that not being able to withftand the fury of the enemy 



neither 



