HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



339 



violence of the artillery and the European mode of en- 

 gagement, retreated in terror to the neighbouring city 

 of Nauhtlan. The Spaniards purfued them with fury, 

 and fet fire to fome houfes; but the victory coft the Spa- 

 niards the life of the governor, who died of his wounds 

 in three days after; and of fix or feven foldiers, and a 

 number of Totonacas. One of thefe foldiers, who had 

 a large head and fierce afpe&, was taken prifoner and 

 fent to Mexico by Quahpopoca, but having died of his 

 wounds in his way to that city, they only carried his 

 head to Montezuma, the appearance of which fo fhock- 

 ed and daunted that king, that he would not have it 

 offered to his gods in any temple of the court. 



Cortes received intelligence of thefe revolutions before 

 he left Cholula (g); but did not think proper to men- 

 tion them nor difcover his uneafmefs, left it might have 

 difcouraged his foldiers. 



Having nothing more to do in Cholula, he purfued 

 his journey to Mexico with all his Spaniards, fix thou- 

 fand Tlafcalans, and fome Huexotzincan and Cholulan 

 troops. At Izcalpan, a village of Huexotzinco, fifteen 

 miles diftant from Cholula, the chiefs of Huexotzinco, 

 came again to pay their refpe&s to him, and to advertife 

 him, that there were two ways of going to Mexico; the 

 one, an open and well-made road, which lead to fome 

 precipices where there was reafon to apprehend fome 

 ambufcades of the enemy; the other was newly flopped 

 up, and obftru&ed with trees cut down on purpofe, 

 which however was of the two the fhorter and more fe- 

 cure route. Cortes availed himfelf of this intimation, 



and 



(g) All, or nearly all hiftorians fay, that intelligence of this revolution 

 reached Cortes when he was in Mexico; but Cortes affirms, that he had it in 

 Cholula. 



