HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



29 



blows from the Xochimilcas, as fome hiftorians report, 

 he continued fighting on foot with his lance ; but being 

 overpowered by the enemy, he would not have been 

 able to have faved himfelf from ruin, if a brave Tiafcalan 

 (7), and after him two of his own fervants, had not fea- 

 fonably come to his relief. 



The Xochimilcas being at laft defeated, the Spaniards 

 had leifure to repofe a little after the fatigues of the day, 

 in which fome of their foldiers had been killed, and al- 

 moft all of them wounded, and the general himfelf and 

 the principal officers Alvarado and Olid among the reft. 

 Four Spaniards, made prifoners, were conducted to the 

 capital, and facrificed without delay, and their arms and 

 legs fent to different places to encourage the fubje&s 

 againft the enemies of the ftate. It is beyond a doubt, 

 that on this, as well as on other occafions, Cortes might 

 eafily have been put to death by the enemy, if they had 

 not had fo much anxiety to take him alive to facrifice 

 him to their gods. 



The news of the taking of Xochimilco threw the 

 court of Mexico into great confternation. King Quauh- 

 temotzin affembled fome military chiefs, and reprefent- 

 ed to them the lofs and danger occafioned to Mexico by 

 the capture of fo confiderable a place, the fervice they 

 would render their gods and the nation in retaking it, 

 and the courage and ftrength which was neceffary to 

 overcome thofe daring and deflru&ive ftrangers. They 

 immediately gave orders, therefore, to raife an army 

 of twelve thoufand men, to be fent by land, and another 



to 



(/) Herrera and Torquemada fay, that the day after the great hazard Cortes 

 had been in of being made prifoner, he fought for the Tiafcalan who had ref- 

 cued him, but could not find him either dead or alive ; on which account, from 

 the devotion which the general paid to St. Peter, he became perfuaded that 

 that apoftle had been the perfon who faved him. 



