40 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



lake as well as the road. That place, called by the 



Mexicans Xoloc, appeared extremely advantageous to 

 Cortes for the eftablifhment of his camp, and it certainly 

 would not have been eafy to have found another more 

 fuitable to his defigns ; for, by means of it he became 

 mafter of the principal road and that part of the lake 

 where the greateft fuccours could enter to the city, and 

 befides that of the road of Cojohuacan which formed a 

 communication with the camp of Olid. The fmall dif- 

 tance of that place from the camps of Cojohuacan and 

 Tlacopan was of great importance to Cortes, in giving 

 his orders with expedition, and to render afiiftance when 

 it proved neceflfary. In fhort, its vicinity to Mexico con- 

 tributed to make every attack more eafy. 



There he alfembled his brigantines, and abandoning 

 the expedition againd Iztapalapan, formed a refolution 

 to give very foon a commencement to his operations. He 

 ordered to his camp one half of the troops of Cojohua- 

 can, and fifty chofen foldiers from the troops under San- 

 doval. That night he heard a great body of enemies 

 coming towards his camp. The Spaniards, knowing that 

 the Mexicans were not ufed to combat by night unlefs 

 when they were fecure of victory, were at firffc appre- 

 henfive ; but, although they received fome hurt from the 

 enemy, they obliged them by the fire of their artillery 

 and mufkets to retire to the city. The next day they 

 found themfelves attacked by a prodigious multitude of 

 warriors, who enlarged their number in the imagination 

 of the Spaniards with dreadful howls. The fupply ex- 

 pected from Cojohuacan being arrived, Cortes made a 

 fally with his people in order of battle. They fought 

 with great courage and obftinacy on both fides, but the 

 Spaniards and their allies took one ditch and an intrench- 



ment. 



