HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



439 



the court, the Mexicans fought with fuch obftinacy, 

 that they were all killed, and he with difficulty obtain- 

 ed fome few particulars from a dying officer. The 

 other Mexicans, who were fcattered through the city, 

 fled out precipitately to incorporate themfelves with the 

 body of the army, encamped on a high ground which 

 commanded all the environs. They immediately form- 

 ed in order of battle, entered the city, and began fet- 

 ting fire to the houfes. Cortes affirms, that he never 

 faw an army make a more beautiful appearance, on ac- 

 count of the gold and the plumes with which their 

 armour was adorned. The Spaniards defended the city 

 with their cavalry and many thoufands of allies, and 

 forced them to retreat to a high and almoft inacceffible 

 ground ; but being likewife thither purfued by their 

 enemies, they betook themfelves to the fummit of a very 

 lofty mountain, leaving numbers dead on the field. The 

 conquerors, after having facked the Mexican camp, re- 

 turned to the city loaded with fpoils. 



The army retted three days in Quauhquechollan, and 

 on the fourth marched towards Itzocan (d\ a city con- 

 taining from three to four thoufand families, fituate on 

 the fide of a mountain, about ten miles from Quauhque- 

 chollan, furrounded by a deep river and a fmall wall. 

 Its ftrcets were well difpofed, and its temples fo nume- 

 rous, that Cortes imagined them, including fmall and 

 large, to be more than a hundred in number. The air 

 of it is hot, from being fituated in a deep valley, (hut in 

 by high mountains ; and its foil, like that of Quauhque- 

 chollan, fertile, and fliaded by trees bearing the mod 

 beautiful bloffoms and excellent fruits. A prince of the 

 royal blood of Mexico governed the ftate at this time, 

 to whom Montezuma had given it in fief, after having 

 put its lawful lord to death, for fome mifdemeanor of 



which 



{d) Itzocan is called Izucar by the Spaniard?. 



