28 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



the capital : its inhabitants were numerous, its temples 

 many, its buildings magnificent, and its gardens floating 

 on the lake Angularly beautiful, from whence it took its 

 name of Xochimilco (k) : it had, like the capital, many 

 canals or ditches, and for fear of the Spaniards, they 

 had now feveral entrenchments. As foon as they faw 

 the enemy approach, they raifed the bridges of the ca- 

 nals, to make the entry more difficult. The Spaniards 

 divided their army into three fquadrons, to attack the 

 city by as many places, but every where they met with a 

 flout refinance, and could not take the firfl ditch until 

 after a terrible engagement of more than half an hour, 

 in which two Spaniards were killed and many wounded ; 

 but having at lad overcome thofe obftacles, they entered 

 the city, purfuing the inhabitants, who perfevered till 

 night, fighting in the vefTels in which they had made 

 their retreat. They frequently heard voices among the 

 combatants who demanded peace, but the Spaniards un- 

 derstanding that thofe cries were made with no other 

 view than to gain time to place their families and goods 

 in fecurity, and to receive the fuccour which they ex- 

 pe£kd from Mexico, prefTed them flill harder ; until, 

 finding all refinance dropt, they retired to repofe and 

 cure the wounded : but they had hardly begun to draw 

 their breath a little, when they faw themfelves attacked 

 by a great number of enemies, who came formed in or- 

 der of battle by the fame road by which the Spaniards 

 had entered. They were now reduced to great diffi- 

 culties, and Cortes himfelf was in imminent danger of 

 becoming a prifoner of the enemy ; for his horfe having 

 fallen from fatigue, as he fays, or being cut down by the 



blows 



(k) Xoshimilco means gardens and fields of flowers. 



