HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



15 



The Mexicans did not ceafe to make incurfions into 

 the ftates which had confederated with the Spaniards, 

 but the diligence ufed by Cortes in fending fuccour to 

 them, made their attempts generally fruitlefs. Amongft 

 others, the Chalchefe came in the fpace of a few days to 

 requeft the afiiftance of the Spaniards ; for they had 

 learned that the Mexicans were preparing to ftrike a fe- 

 vere blow upon that ftate which had recently renounced 

 fubje&ion to them. Cortes could not at this time com- 

 ply with their demand ; for having now finiftied all the 

 labour of the mads, the planks, and other apparatus 

 of the brigantines, he had occafion for all his troops to 

 tranfport them fafely to Tezcuco. He advifed the Chal- 

 chefe, however, to make an alliance with the Huexot- 

 zincas, the Cholulans, and the Quauhquechollans. They 

 objected to fuch a confederacy, on account of their an- 

 cient enmity to thofe people. The Chalchefe were hard- 

 ly departed, when three mcifengers came feafonably to 

 Tezcuco from Huexotzinco and Quauhquechollan, fent 

 by thofe lords to exprefs their apprehenfions, on account 

 of certain fmoke, obferved by the centinels whom they 

 had polled on the tops of the mountains, which was a 

 ftrong indication of war, and to offer their troops to his 

 command whenever he chofe to make ufe of them. Cor- 

 tes availed himfelf of this favourable opportunity to 

 unite thofe dates in alliance with that of Chalco, obliging 

 them to lay afide for their common benefit any refent- 

 ment fubfifting between individuals. This alliance was 

 fo firm, that from that time forward they mutually affil- 

 ed each other againfl the Mexicans. 



It being now time to tranfport the timber, fails, cord- 

 age, and iron, for the brigantines, Cortes fent Sandoval 

 with two hundred Spaniards and fifteen horfes for that 



purpofe, 



