( 327 ) 



Cortes now proceeded to take his refidence in the city of Mexico, 

 He divided the ground into lots for the churches in the firft place, then 

 for the monafteries, the public buildings, and fquares. He divided the reft 

 of the ground among the inhabitants that were to be, and not to wafte 

 more time upon the fubjed:, all thofe who have feen the prefent city of 

 Mexico agree, that there is not in Chriftendom one more populous, 

 larger, or better built. 



While Cortes was thus employed, intelligence arrived that the pro- 

 vince of Panuco was in arms. They are a warlike people, very nume- 

 rous, and having rebelled, had killed many foldiers of the party which 

 Cortes had fent to form a colony there. He refolved therefore to go 

 thither in perfon: indeed all his captams were now abfent on different 

 duties. Our numbers had by this time received a confiderable rein- 

 forcement as well of thofe who had come with the veedor Tapia, as of 

 fuch as had been on the expedition to Florida with Vafquez de Aillon, 

 and of many others lately arrived from the iflands. He left a good gar- 

 rifon in Mexico under Diego de Soto, and fet out on his march with 

 orie hundred and thirty cavalry, two hundred and fifty infantry, and 

 ten thoufand Mexicans. Juft at this time De Oli returned from Me- 

 choacan which he had reduced to a ftate of fubmifiion and peace^ bring- 

 ing with him the principal chief and feveral others, and a quantity of 

 gold. This expedition to Panuco was very expenfive; Cortes applied 

 for a reimburfement from the crown, which could not be acceded to j 

 his Majefty's officers objected that it was undertaken on a private ac- 

 count, to prevent the eflablifhment of a colony by Garay, and not for 

 the public fervice. When he arrived at Panuco he found the people ve- 

 ry rebellious. In the courfe of a few days he had two battles, in which 

 he loft three foldiers, four horfes, and above one hundred Mexicans., 

 The number of the enemy amounted to above leventy thoufand warri- 

 ors, but it v/as God's will that we ftiould obtain the vidiory, with fuch: 

 a]^flaughter of the rebels as deprived them of all thoughts of making any 

 head for the prefent. Thefe people are called the Guaftecas, and Na- 

 guatecas. After the. laft ba.ttle Cortes again fent to fummon them tO; 



fubmiflion. 



