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attend upon him; Anthonio de Villaroel married to the handfome Ifabei 

 de Ojeda, a batchellor named Efcobar captain of Tezcuco, and Pedro 

 Sanches Farfan, a good foldier, married to the worthy and honorable 

 lady Maria de Eftrada. Cortes then required of him a number of Indi- 

 an labourers to open the canals, in order to bring his vefTels to the lake. 

 He alfo explained to him his plan of attacking Mexico, to which the 

 young prince offered aiTiftance to the utmofl of his power. 



Our captains were at this time afligned their different pofts, in cafe 

 of a fudden attack upon our quarters, the reigning prince in Mexico 

 frequently fending out his troops upon the lake, in expectation of tak- 

 ing us unprepared. Some neighbouring people, whofe diftridt is called 

 Cuatinchan, and who had been guilty of offences in the murders of our 

 countrymen, now petitioned for, and obtained pardon. The work up- 

 on the canals went on moft rapidly, as we never had lefs than from feven 

 to eight thoufand Indians employed. 



Guatimotzin now upon the throne of Mexico, was lord of Izta- 

 palapa, the people whereof were bitter enemies to us, and our declared 

 allies of Chalco, Talmalanco, Mecameca, and Chimaloacan. As we 

 had been twelve days in Tezcuco, fo large a force caufed fome fcarcity 

 of provifions; i^nefs had alfo made our allies grow impatient, and foy 

 thofe reafons it became neceffary to take the field. Cortes therefore pro- 

 ceeded towards Iztapalapa at the head of thirteen cavalry, two hundred 

 and twenty infantry, and the whole body of our Indian confederates. 

 The inhabitants had received a reinforcement of eight thoufand Mexi^ 

 cans, and as we approachec|, they fell back into the town. But this 

 was all a concerted plan; they then fled into their canoes, the reeds by 

 the fide of the lake, and alfo to thofe houfes which were in the water, 

 where they remained quietly, leaving us in poffeffion of that part of the 

 town which was on the firm land. As it was now night we pofted our 

 guards, and were repofing contentedly in our quarters, when all on a 

 fudden there came on us fuch a body of water by the ffreets. and into 

 the houfes, that if our friends from Tezcuco had not called to us at that 



moment 



