HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



395 



cky, where his enemy was quartered, he made fo fu- 

 rious an affault, that, before break of day, he rendered 

 himfelf matter of the temple, of all his enemies, the 

 artillery, arms, and horfes, only four of his foldiers be- 

 ing killed, and fifteen of the enemy, though many on 

 both fides were wounded (j). He made himfelf be ac- 

 knowledged captain-general and fupreme magiflrate by 

 them all, put Narvaez and Salvatierra, a refpe&able 

 officer, and fworn enemy of Cortes, both in irons in the 

 fort of Vera Cruz, and made the fails, rudders, and 

 compaffes of the fhips be brought on fhore. The light 

 of the morning of that day, which was Whitfuntide, 

 the 27th of May, had hardly appeared, when the two 

 thoufand troops from Chinantla arrived in good order, 

 and well armed (%), but they came only to be witneffes 

 of the triumph of Cortes, and the fliame of the party 

 under Narvaez, to fee themfelves conquered by fo few 

 enemies, who were lefs armed than they. The fuccefs 

 of this attack was in a great meafure owing to the un- 

 paralleled bravery of Sandoval, who, with eighty men, 

 mounted into the temple in the midfl of a ftorm of ar- 

 rows and balls, attacked the fancluary where Narvaez 

 was fortified, and feized his perfon. 



Cortes now finding himfelf mailer of eighteen veffels, 

 and almofl two thoufand men of Spanifh troops, with 

 nearly a hundred horfes, and great fufficiency of ammu- 

 nition, thought of making new expeditions on the coaft 

 of the Mexican gulf, and had already appointed the 



commanders 



(y) Authors are not agreed as to the number killed in that affault, we put 

 the number which appears the mo ft probable, according to the account of the 

 different authors. 



(z Some authors fay, that the Chinantlans were prefent at the affault made 

 on the quarters of Narvaez; but Bernal Diaz, who was prefent, affirms the 

 .contrary. Cortes does not make mention of them. 



