HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



(hip and correfpondence with the monarch of the Eaft, 

 by whom they were fent into that country ; but at the 

 fame time, he exaggerated the difficulties neceflary to be 

 overcome in order to go to court, and requeued Cortes 

 to change his refolution if he defired to pleafe the king. 

 Cortes anfwered, that if he returned back without de- 

 livering his embaflfy he would fail in his duty, and would 

 give the utmoft difpJeafure to his fovereign who had fent 

 him, and particularly when he had found himfelf fo near 

 to the court after having furmounted the dangers of fo 

 long a journey. If it is fo^ faid the king, we will fee 

 each other at court ; upon which taking polite leave, 

 after being prefented with fome European toys, he left 

 behind him a part of the nobility, that they might at- 

 tend Cortes on his journey. 



From Ajotzinco the Spaniards marched to Cuitlahu- 

 ac, a city founded upon a little ifland in the lake of Chal- 

 co, which, though fmall, was accounted by Cortes the 

 mod beautiful he had hitherto feen. This city commu- 

 nicated with the main land by means of two large com- 

 modious roads, conftrufted on the lake ; the one to the 

 fouth, which was two miles in length ; the other to the 

 north, which was more than two miles in length. The 

 Spaniards paflfed along, delighted to fee the multitude 

 and beauty of the cities fituated on the lake, the temples 

 and towers which rofe above the other buildings, the 

 trees and fhrubbery which beautified the inhabited 

 places, the fields and floating gardens of the lake, and 

 the innumerable little vefiels plying upon it ; but at the 

 fame time, not a little timorous at feeing themfelves fur- 

 rounded by an immenfe crowd of people, which collect- 

 ed chere from all places to obferve them ; on which ac- 

 count Cortes commanded his people to proceed in good 



Vol. II. X x order 



