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tlie diftance was but two leagues Sandoval acquiefced. When he advan- 

 ced, the enemy attacked him with their mifTile weapons, and after 

 wounding fome of his men, returned to their ftrong poft in the town. 

 Our allies did not exhibit much alacrity in going to the attack, in which 

 the Spaniards were obliged to fhew them the way, and difmounting 

 fome of the cavalry, and leaving the reft in the plain to guard the rear, 

 they advanced againft the place, which they entered, having a number 

 wounded in the afcent, and amongft others Sandoval himfelf. But if 

 the Indians were tardy before, they made up for it now ; the Spaniards 

 not having the trouble of putting the enemy to death, it being entirely 

 faved them by their allies. Indeed our countrymen thought their time 

 employed to much better purpofe in fearching for gold, or making good 

 female prifoners, than, in cutting to pieces a parcel of poor wretches 

 who did not any longer defend themfelves. They frequently blamed 

 the cruelty of their allies, and faved many Indians from them. Goraara 

 fays that the Spaniards fuffered thirft here becaufe the water was not to 

 be drank, on account of the quantity of blood with which it was dif- 

 coloured; the fad: is, that many of the wounded Mexicans did come 

 from the rocks and ridges down to the water in making their efcape, 

 and it was difcoloured the length of time that it would take to fay an 

 Ave Maria, but as to our people fuffering thirft on that account, that 

 muft be untrue, for there were feveral fountains of the fineft water, in 

 the town. 



After this fuccefs Sandoval returned to Tezcuco, with a number of 

 flaves and conftderable fpoils. Guatimotzin the reigning prince of Mex- 

 ico was enraged when he heard of the hoftilities committed againft him 

 by his own people of Chalco, and determined to infli<5t immediate pu- 

 niftitnent. He now fent acrofs the lake twenty thoufand of his warri- 

 ors in two thoufand canoes, to wafte the province with fire and fword, 

 fo that at the very moment when the brave Sandoval had arrived at head 

 quarters, and before he could make the report of his expedition to the 

 general, there arrived exprefles from Chalco ftating their being in a more 

 defperate fttuation than ever. This put Cortes in a violent paftion with 



Sandoval, 



