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came in and made their fubmifTions to Cortes. This expedition was 

 productive of the very bell: effetfls. The fame of Cortes extended 

 through all their countries, for valor and for juftice, and he was much 

 more dreaded and refpeCled than Guatimotzin, the new fovereign of 

 Mexico J infomuch that his decifion was requefled in the moft important 

 litigations. The fmall pox was now fo prevalent in New Spain,,, that 

 many of the great lords of the natives died of it. In fuch cafes the 

 claimants to the fuccelTion called on Cortes for, and abided by his deci- 

 iion, as fovereign lord of the country. There were at this period great 

 difputes relative to the lordfliips of Ozucar and Guacachula, which be- 

 ing referred to Cortes he decided the caufe in favor of a nephew of 

 Montezuma, whofe fifter had married the cacique of that diftridt. 



At this time Cortes fent Sandoval to punifh the people of the dif- 

 tri<5l called Cocotlan, where they had put to death nine Spaniards. San- 

 doval took with him thirty cavalry and one hundred infantry, with a 

 flrong body of Tlafcalans. On his entry into tlie diftri<5t he fummoned 

 thefe people, holding out as ufual threats on the one hand, and invita- 

 tions on the other, to which the Indians replied, that they acknow- 

 ledged no other government than that of Mexico, and that they were 

 very well able to defend themfelves. They had here a confi^erable force 

 of Mexican auxiliaries, who encouraged them to refiftance. As foon as 

 Sandoval received this meffage he put his troops in order, and caution- 

 ed his allies not to advance to the attack at firft, on account of their dif- 

 ordering the cavalry, but to wait until the enemy were broken by our 

 troops, and then to fall on the Mexicans. Two large bodies of the ene- 

 my were met by our army, in a ftrong fituation; they made a firm re- 

 fiftance, and before Sandoval could extricate his cavalry from the diffi- 

 cult and rocky ground, they had killed one and wounded nine of his 

 horfes and four foldiers. At length having driven them from this poft, 

 he advanced to their town, and there aiTaulting them and the reinforce- 

 ments which had joined them, at their poft in the temples, and large 

 walled inclofures, with the good affiftance of his Iridian allies, whofe 

 keennefs was increafed by the abundance of plunder, he totally defeat- 

 ed 



