i 290 ) 



herbs withall ! but, as our officers faid, fuch is the fortune of war ! with 

 all our fufferings nothing effectual was gained : the parapets we threw 

 down, or the ditches we filled up during the day, the enemy replaced 

 in the enfuing nightv What ufe was our cutting off" their water, or 

 elofing their caufeways againft them, when they were fupplied by ca- 

 noes with whatever they wanted from the neighbouring towns on the 

 lake? In order to prevent this, it was determined that two of our veffels 

 fhould cruife during the night, to intercept them. This was found to 

 anfwer in a confiderable degree, but ftill fome efcaped into the city. 



The Mexicans had the boldnefs at this time to form a plan for the 

 .furprife of th^fe veflels. For this purpofe they prepared thirty of their 

 largefl piraguasf and concealed them among reeds, fending two or three 

 canoes along the lake, as if conveying provifions, by way of a bait for 

 our vefTels. The Mexicans had alfo fixed piles of large timber below the 

 water, in the diredion which our fhips were to be drawn in. The ca- 

 noes being perceived by our people, two vefl^ls fallied out upon them; 

 the others appeared to take fright, and rowed towards the ambufcade, 

 followed by our vefTels, which as foon as they arrived near enough,- 

 were furrounded by the thirty piraguas. By the firft difcharge they 

 wounded every officer, foldier, and rower, on board; and the veflels 

 could not ftir on account of the piles of timber. The enemy continu- 

 ing their attacks, killed a captain named Portilla; he was a gentleman 

 who had ferved in Italy. Captain Pedro Barba alfo of the crofsbow- 

 men died of his wounds, and the veffels fell into their hands. Thefc 

 belonged to the principal divifion, which Cortes commanded; he was 

 much exafperated, but in the courfe of a fliort time repayed them well 

 in their own way, 



Cortes as alfo our other chiefs, by his order, purfued their plan of 

 advancing againft the city. As they gained ground, they threw down 

 the houfes, and with the materials filled up the ditches or canals which 

 crofled the caufeways; and our brave Tlafcalan allies rendered us the 

 greateft fervices, during the whole war. The Mexicans oppofed our 



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