144 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



from the 24th of June to the fird of July will appear 

 many, conferring the (hortnefs of the time : but it is 

 not wonderful that in circumdances of fuch difficulty and 

 danger actions mould multiply, as the faving of lives 

 called forth the greated efforts. 



The war made by the Spaniards in Quauhquechollan 

 happened in the month oF October, by what appears 

 from the account of Cortes. This epoch becomes of 

 importance to us, in order to know the time which 

 Cuitlahuatzin reigned, for a Mexican Captain, of whom 

 Cortes gained information of the date of the court, 

 gave him intelligence of the diligence ufed by that 

 king in preparations againd the Spaniards. Thofe who 

 do not allow Cuitlahuatzin to have reigned more than 

 forty days, reject that information as a falfehood ; but 

 as they allege no reafon to convince us of its falfity, we 

 ought to believe it. 



Concerning the day on which the fiege of Mexico 

 began, and the time of its duration, authors in general 

 are miftaken. They fay for the fird part that the fiege 

 laded ninety -three days ; but they have not made the 

 calculation exactly, for Cortes made the review of his 

 troops in the great fquare of Tezcuco, and afiigned the 

 pods which the three divifions were to occupy on the 

 Monday of Pentecod, in the year 1521. But although 

 we ftiould fuppofe, contrary to the truth of hidory, 

 that on the fame day of the review the fiege was begun, 

 there would not be ninety-three, but only eighty-five 

 days ; for that Monday happened on the 20th of May, 

 and it is univerfally known that the fiege terminated 

 with the taking of the capital on the 13th of Augud. 

 If they reckon the hodilities committed on the cities of 

 the lake to be part of the fiege, they ought to fix the 



beginning 



