436 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



The Mexican troops, garrifoned in that province, re- 

 treated from it, not having fufncient ftrength to refill the 

 power of their enemies; but, at the fame time, there ap- 

 peared at the city of Quauhquecholian (V), diftant about 

 four miles from Tepejacac, towards the fouth, an army 

 of Mexicans fent there by .king Cuitlahuatzin, to hinder 

 the paiTage of the Spaniards by that quarter to the ca- 

 pital, if they now fliould attempt it. Quauhquechollan 

 was a confiderable city, containing from live to fix thou- 

 fand families, pleafantly fituated, and not lefs fortified 

 by nature than by art. It was naturally defended on 

 one fide by a fteep rocky mountain, and on another fide 

 by two parallel running rivers. The whole of the city 

 was furrounded by a ftrong wall of (tone and lime, about 

 twenty feet high and twelve broad, with a bread-work 

 all round, of about three feet in height. There were 

 but four ways to enter, at thole places where the extre- 

 mities of the wall were doubled, forming two femicircles, 

 as we have already reprefented in the figure given in 

 our eighth book. The difficulty of the entrance was 

 increafed by the elevation of the fite of the city, which 

 was almofl equal to -the height of the wall itfelf ; fo that 

 in order to enter, it was neceffary to afcend by fome 

 very deep (leps. 



The lord of that city, who was partial to the Spani- 

 ards, fent an embaify to Cortes, declaring his fubmiffion 

 to the king of Spain, who had been already acknow- 

 ledged fovereign of all that land, in the celebrated aifem- 

 bly held by king Montezuma with the Mexican nobility, 

 in the prefence of Cortes; that, although defirous, he 



was 



gave it the title and honour of Spanifh City in 1545. At prefent, it belongs to 

 the marquifate of the valley. 



(Vi Quauhquechollan is called by the Spaniards Guaqueechula, or Huacachula. 

 At prefent, it is a pleafant Indian village, abounding with good fruits. 



