418 



HISTORY OF MEXICO 



the people with their horns. In an inflant the Spam-* 

 ards found themfelves attacked by water and by land y 

 by an infinity of enemies, who impeded their own attack 

 by their number and confufion. The encounter at the 

 fecond ditch was moll terrible and bloody, the danger 

 extreme, and the efforts of the Spaniards to efcape moft 

 extraordinary. The deep darknefs of the night, the 

 founds of arms and armour, the threatening clamours of 

 the combatants, the lamentations of the prifoners, and 

 the languid groans of the dying, made impreffions both 

 horrid and piteous. Here was heard the voice of a fol- 

 dier calling earneftly for help from his companions, ano- 

 ther imploring in death mercy from Heaven : all was con- 

 fufion, tumult, wounds, and flaughter. Cortes, like an 

 aftive feeling general, ran intrepidly here and there, fre- 

 quently pafling and repafTing the ditches by fwimming, 

 encouraging fome of his men, affifting others, and pre- 

 ferring the remains of his haraffed little army, at the 

 utmoft riik of being killed or made prifoner, in as much 

 order as poilible. The fecond ditch was fo filled with 

 dead bodies, that the rear guard paffed over the heap. 

 Alvarado, who commanded it, found himfelf at the third 

 ditch fo furioufly charged by the enemy, that, not being 

 able to face about to them, nor fwim acrofs with- 

 out evident danger of perifhing by their hands, fixed a 

 lance in the bottom of the ditch, grafping the end of it 

 with his hands, and giving an extraordinary fpring to his 

 body, he vaulted over the ditch. This leap, confidered 

 as a prodigy of agility, obtained to that place the name 

 which it flill preferves of Salta d 9 Alvarado, or Alvara- 

 do's leap. 



The lofs fuftained by the Mexicans on this unlucky 

 night was unqueflionably great : concerning that of the 



Spa- 



