HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



31 



diftant from Mexico towards the fouth, with a view to 

 obferve all thofe ports, and make the fitter difpofitions 

 for the fiege of the capital. He found the city evacuat- 

 ed, and the next day he fet out from it, to examine the 

 road which led from that city to the road of Iztapala- 

 pan. He found an entrenchment made there by the 

 Mexicans, and ordered his infantry to attack it, who, in 

 fpite of the terrible refiftance of the enemy who defend- 

 ed it, took it ; ten Spaniards being wounded, and fome 

 Mexicans killed. Cortes having mounted the trench, 

 faw the road of Iztapalapan darkened with an innumera- 

 ble enemy, and the lake covered with fome thoufands of 

 boats, and after having obferved every thing neceflary 

 to his purpofe, he returned to the city, whofe houfes 

 and temples he caufed to be fet on fire. 



From Cojohuacanhe marched the army to Tlacopan, 

 though harafled on the way by fome flying troops of 

 the enemy, who attacked the baggage. In one of thofe 

 fcuffles, where Cortes was in great danger, they took 

 two of his fervants prifoners, who were conducted to 

 Mexico and immediately facrificed. Cortes arrived at 

 Tlacopan in affliction at this misfortune, but his difplea- 

 fure was greatly increafed when he beheld from the up- 

 per area of the greater temple of that court, along with 

 fome other Spaniards, that fatal road wherein fome 

 months before he had loft fo many of his friends and fol- 

 diers, and confidered attentively the great difficulties 

 which muft be overcome before he could render himfelf 

 mafterof the capital. Some of his officers fuggefted to 

 him, to fend his troops by that road to commit fome hof- 

 tilities on the Mexicans ; but he did not choofe to expofe 

 them to fo great riik \ and, without remaining longer 

 in that city, he returned by Tenajoccan, Quauhtitlan, 



Citlaltepec, 



