288 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



defence. It is certain that Montezuma, upon this as 

 well as on many other occafions, might eafily have totally 

 deftroyed thofe few Grangers who were to bring fo many 

 misfortunes upon him ; but Providence preferved them 

 to become the inftruments of his views in that new 

 world. We do not mean to juftify the defign and con- 

 duct of the conquerors, but neither can we avoid tracing 

 in the feries of the conqueft the defliny which prepared 

 the ruin of that empire. 



On the fame day, during this flate of fufpenfe of the 

 Spaniards, two foldiers who kept guard without the 

 camp, faw five men coming towards them, different in 

 fome degree from the Mexicans in their drefs and in their 

 ornaments, who upon being conducted to the Spanifti 

 general, faidin Mexican, as their own language was not 

 underflood, that they were of the nation of the Totana- 

 cas, and fent by the lord of Chempoalla, a city twenty- 

 four miles diftant from that place, to pay his refpe&s to 

 them, to know who they were and whence they came, 

 and to requefl them to repair to that city, where they 

 would be kindly received ; adding, that they had not 

 approached the camp fooner for fear of the Mexicans. 

 The lord of Chempoalla was one of thofe feudatories, 

 who lived impatient under the Mexican yoke. Having 

 heard of the victory obtained by the Spaniards in Ta- 

 bafco, and their arrival at that port, he thought the occa- 

 fion the moft favourable to throw off the Mexican yoke, 

 with the affiflance of fuch brave people. Cortes, who 

 wiflied for nothing more earneftly than fuch an alliance, 

 after informing himfelf fufficiently of the flate and con- 

 dition of the Totonacas, and the wrongs they fuffered 

 from the great power of the Mexicans, anfwered, with 



thanks 



