26 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



tes treated them with the utmoft humanity ; but de- 

 manded from them., as a condition neceflary to obtain 

 his pardon, that they fhould induce thofe alfo who occu- 

 pied the firfl mountain to furrender alfo, which they ac- 

 cordingly did. 



Cortes, finding thefe obftacles removed, proceeded 

 through Huaxtepec, Jauhtepec, and Xiuhtepec, to the 

 large and pleafant city of Quauhnahuac the capital 

 of the nation of the Tlahuicas, upwards of thirty miles 

 diftant from Mexico, towards the fouth. This city was 

 very ftrong from its natural fituation ; being on one 

 fide furrounded by fteep mountains, and on the other 

 by a hollow about feven perches deep, through which 

 ran a little river. The cavalry could not enter there 

 except by two ways, which were unknown to the*Spa- 

 niards, or by the bridges which had been raifed as foon 

 as they had appeared. While they werefeeking a con- 

 venient place" to begin the afiault, the Quauhnahuachefe 

 lliot an incredible number of arrows, darts, and fiones at 

 them. But a courageous Tlafcalan having obferved, that 

 two great trees, which grew on the oppofite fides of the 

 hollow inclining towards each other, had croffed and mu- 

 tually interwoven their branches, he made a bridge of 

 them to pafs to the other fide ; and his example was 

 quickly followed, though with great difficulty and with 

 great danger, by fix Spanifk foldiers, and afterwards by 



many 



(Z>) The name Quauhnahuac has been ftrangely altered by the Spaniards 

 Cortes calls this city Coadnabaeed, Bernal Diaz, Coadalbaca, Solis, ^uatlabaca, &c. 

 That of Cucinabaca prevailed afterwards, by which it is known among the Spa- N 

 niards at prefent ; but the Indians hull retain the old name Quauhnahuac. It is 

 one of the thirty places which Charles V. gave to Cortes, and is at prefent 

 part of the eftates of the duke of Monteleon, as marquis of the valley of 

 Oaxaca. 



