C 310 ) 



fhould in two days deftroy that whole quarter of the city where Guati- 

 motzin had retreated. He told Cortes fo many fine things of this kind, 

 that he perfuaded him into a trial of his experiments, lime, ftone, and 

 timber being brought, according to his defire; the carpenters were alfo 

 fet to work, two ftrpng cables were made, and ftones the fize of a bufliel 

 were prepared. The machinery was now all ready, the ftone which 

 was to be ejecfled was put in its place, and the whole apparatus was 

 played off* againft the quarters of Guatimotzin. But behold ! inftead of 

 taking that direction, the ftone flew up vertically into the air, and re- 

 turned exadtly into the place from whence it had been launched. Corte's 

 was enraged and aOiamed : he reproached the foldier, and ordered the 

 machinery to be taken down ; but ftill it continued the joke of the 

 army. 



Cortes now gave orders to Sandoval, to go with the flotilla againfl 

 that part or nook of thp city whither Guatimotzin had retired, caution- 

 ing him at the fame time not to kill or injure any Mexican, unlefs he 

 was attacked, nor even then to do more than was abfolutely neceffary 

 for his own defence j but to level all the houfes, and the many advan- 

 ced works which the enemy had made in the lake. Cortes afcended 

 then into the great temple, with feveral of his officers and foldiers, to 

 obferve the movements of his fleet. When Sandoval approached the 

 quarters of Guatimotzin, that prince, who had great apprehenfions of 

 being made prifoner, availed himfelf of the preparations which he had 

 made for his efcape, and embarking himfelf, his family, his courtiers, and 

 oflJicers, with their mofl: valuable effedts, on board fifty large piraguas, 

 the whole body fet off for the main land, as did all his nobility and 

 chiefs in various dire6lions. Sandoval who was at this time occupied 

 in making his way by tearing down the houfes, received immediate no- 

 tice of the flight of Guatimotzin. He inftantly fet out in the purfuit, 

 giving ftriiSt orders that no injury or infult fliould be offered, but that 

 each fliould keep a fteady eye upon the royal veffel, and do his utmofl 

 to get poffeffion of it. . He particularly diredled however Garci Holguin, 

 his intimate friend, and captain of the quickefl: failer of the fleet, to 



make 



* From the platform of a theatre. 



