38 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



fo fuccefsfully accompliflied this ftep, thofe two com- 

 manders refolved to go by the way of Tlacopan, to take 

 fome ditch by aflault ; but fo great was the multitude 

 of Mexicans who came againft them, and fo thick the 

 fhower of arrows, darts, and ftones, which were (hot at 

 them, that eight Spaniards were killed and more than 

 fifty wounded, and they with difficulty were able to re- 

 treat in fhame to Tlacopan, where Alvarado encamped, 

 according to the order of the general, and Olid march- 

 ed to Cojohuacan on the thirtieth day of May, confe- 

 crated that year to the folemnity of Corpus Domini, on 

 which day began, according to the computation made 

 by Cortes, the fiege of Mexico. 



While Alvarado and Olid were employed in filling up 

 fome ditches which were made upon the border of the 

 lake, and were repairing fome paffages for the conveni- 

 ence of the cavalry, the commander Sandoval, with the 

 number of Spaniards above mentioned, and with more 

 than thirty-five thoufand allies, marched from Tezcuco 

 on the thirty-firfl of May with an intent to take the city 

 of Iztapalapan by aflault, againft which Cortes was par- 

 ticularly bent. Sandoval made his entry there, com- 

 mitting terrible devaftation and havoc by fire upon the 

 houfes and by his arms upon the inhabitants, who in ter- 

 ror attempted to fave their lives by water. Cortes, in or- 

 der to attack at the fame time that part of the city which 

 was, contiguous to the water, after having made the 

 whole lake be founded, embarked with his people in his 

 brigantines, and proceeded by means of fails and oars 

 towards Iztapalapan. He ftruck ground near to an infu- 

 lated little mountain, at a fmall diftance from that city, 

 the top of which was occupied by a numerous enemy, 

 refolved to defend themfelves and annoy the Spaniards 



as 



