HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



305 



of the Totonacas, either becaufe they had been fo order- 

 ed by the Spanifli general, or becaufe they themfelves 

 confidered it mod proper to do fo. 



From Xoeotla the Spanifli army proceeded to Iztac- 

 maxtitlan, the population of which extended for ten or 

 twelve miles in two uninterrupted lines of houfes upon 

 the two oppofite banks of a fmall river, which runs 

 through the bottom of that long and narrow valley; but 

 the proper city of Iztacmaxtitlan, compofed of good 

 buildings, and inhabited by fix thoufand people, occupi- 

 ed the top of a lofty fteep mountain, the lord of which 

 was one of thofe two perfons who vifited and made pre- 

 fents to Cortes in Xoeotla. To the naturally difficult 

 accefs of the place were added ftout walls, with barba- 

 cans and ditches (u)\ for, on account of its being on the 

 frontiers of the Tlafcalans, it was more expofed to their 

 invafions. There the Spaniards were well received and 

 entertained. 



In the mean while the requeft of their embaffy was 

 difcuffing in the fenate of Tlafcala. All that great city 

 was in alarm at the intelligence of fuch ftrangers, and 

 particularly at the account which the Chempoallefe 

 gave of their afpecl, their bravery, the flze of their vef- 

 fels, the agility and ftrength of their horfes, and the 

 dreadful thunder and deftru&ive violence of their artil- 

 lery. Xicotencatl Maxicatzin, General of the army of 

 the republic, Tlecul, Xolotzin, and Citlalpocatzin, were 

 the four lords or chiefs who at that time governed the 

 republic. The Chempoallefe mefTengers (x j were gra- 



Vol. II. Qjq cioufly 



(w) Cortes, in his fecond letter, compares the fortrefs of Iztacmaxtitlan to the 

 beft in Spain. 



(?c) Bernal Diaz fays, that the meffengers were only two in number, and 

 that as foon as they arrived at Tlafcala they were put in prifon; but Cortes 



himfclf 



