318 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



of alarm were ftill more augmented by the rebellion of 

 feveral provinces who had followed the example of the 

 Totonacas. 



He fent therefore fix ambafladors to Cortes, with a 

 thoufand curious cotton drdfes, and a large quantity of 

 gold and beautiful feathers, and charged them to con- 

 gratulate him in his name upon his victories, to make 

 him offers of ftill more confiderable prefents, and to dif- 

 fuade him from the journey to Mexico, by reprefenting 

 to him the difficulty of the way, and other obftacles 

 not eafy to be furmounted. The ambaffadors imme- 

 diately departed, with a retinue of more than two hun- 

 dred men, and having arrived at the Spanifli camp, ex- 

 ecuted with punctuality the whole of their commiflion. 

 Cortes received them with all the refpect due to their 

 character, and acknowledged himfelf infinitely obliged 

 to the bounty of fo great a monarch; but he purpofely 

 detained the ambafladors, in hopes that in the time of 

 their ftay fome occafion of engaging with the Tlafcalans 

 might prefent itfelf, by which the Mexicans might be 

 imprefled with an idea of the bravery of his troops, and 

 the fuperiority of the European arms ; or that if peace 

 ftiould be made with the republic, they might be wit- 

 neflfes of the feverity with which he intended to repri- 

 mand the Tlafcalans for their obftinacy. It was not long 

 before the occafion which he fo much delired prefented 

 itfelf. Three divifions of the enemy came down upon 

 the Spanifli camp with terrible howls, and a temped of 

 darts and arrows. Cortes, although he had that day 

 taken a purgative medicine, mounted on horfeback, and 

 went intrepidly againft the Tlafcalans, who were defeat- 

 ed without much trouble in the fight of the Mexican 

 ambaffadors. 



The 



