Chap. . III. fbr the ReduSUon N e w S p A i n. ■ i 2.9 
which Means they beheged him on all Sides, fhooting 
from the Terraces and Windows of the neighbouring 
Houfes. He was in this Diftrefs when Cortes arrived, 
who, difcovering that vaft Number of Canoes in the 
Water-ftreets that looked towards Mexico^ made his 
Brigantines advance with all poffible Speed, and played 
his Artillery with fuch Effeft, that, terriHed by the De- 
ftruaion the Balls made, they all fled at once through the 
mofl; retired Streets in the Town, with a Defign to get 
through into the Lake ; and fuch was their Diforder, that 
the People who were upon the Terraces, crowding into the 
Canoes, funk many of them, and the reft in their Flight 
fell in among the Brigantines. 
The Mexicans fuftained fuch a Lofs that Day, as de- 
minifhed their Forces confiderably •, and the Spaniards^ 
afterwards taking a View of that Part of the City they 
polTefled themfelves of, made fome Prifoners, and found 
a fufEcient Booty to pleafe the Soldiers. Cortes perceived 
by the Difficulties which Sandoval had met with at Iztapa- 
lapa^ that it was impoffible to make Ufe of the Caufway 
without flrft ruining that half of the City which was the 
Retreat of the MexicanC^hots •, and becaule this would oc- 
cafion a Delay which might be of dangerous Confequence 
to the other Attacks, refolved to quit that Poll, and dif- 
patch Sandoval to polfefs himfelf of "Tapeaquilla^ where 
there was another narrow Caufway, lefs commodious for 
attacking, but more advantageous for cutting off the 
Enemies Pro vifions, which they began to want, and which 
were brought that Way. This Defign was immediately 
put in Execution, and Sandoval marched by Land, effort- 
ed by the Brigantines, till he had got Poffeffion of the 
new Quarters ; the Place was forfaken, and he lodged 
himfelf there without Refiftance. Afterwards Cortes failed 
to ^acuba-, Alverado found this City defected, and in 
his further Progrefs he met with various Succeffes ; he beat 
down the Works, and filled up the Ditches in the fame 
manner Olid did j but though he did the Enemy con- 
fiderable Damage, and had once advanced fo far as to fire 
fome Houfes in Mexico^ he had loft eight Spaniards when 
Cortes arrived, who found the Meafures he had taken did 
not anfwer his Defigns ; for this Way of attacking and 
retreating confumed his Time, and expofed his Men, 
without any Advantage, and was rather doing A(fts of 
Hoftility than making any Progrefs. 
To proceed by the Caufways was very difficult, by rea- 
fon of the Ditches, which the Mexicans were fortifying 
every Day, and the continual Perfecutions of the Canoes, 
which always charged in great Numbers wherever the Bri- 
gantines quitted ; for which Reafon he was obliged to 
think of other Meafures for the facilitating of his Enter- 
prize. He then commanded all Attacks to ceafe till 
farther Orders, and applied himfelf to the providing fuch 
a Number of Canoes as might fecure him the Dominion 
of the Lake, to which End he fent fuch Perfons as he 
could confide in, to bring all the Canoes that remained in 
the Towns of his Allies ; with which, and thofe that 
came from Tezcuco and Chaleo^ he made up fuch a Num- 
ber as gave freffi Terror to the Enemy : He divided them 
into three Squadrons, all managed hj Indians who knew 
how to condu 61 : them, under the Command of Captains 
of their own Nation j and, having diftributed this Rein- 
forcement among the Brigantines, he fent four of them 
to Sandoval^ four to Alverado, and himfelf with the other 
five joined Colonel Olid. 
20. Upon this Occafion the Mexicans not only fhewed 
Valour, but added military Skill *, for they flood in need 
of new Inventions, againft an Invafion by a People whofe 
Weapons, and Condubl in War, were unknown in their 
Country and they gained fome Advantages, by which 
they raifed the Reputation of their good Service : They fent, 
by round-aboiitWays, Canoes full of Pioneers, to clear the 
Ditches which the Spaniards had been filling up, that they 
might fall upon them with their whole Force when they 
fliould be obliged to retire, a Stratagem which occafioned 
the Lofs of fome Soldiers in the flrft Attacks. By degrees 
they brought out another Stratagem ftill more remarkable ; 
for they afted contrary to their Cuftom, and made fome 
Sallies by Night, only to alarm the Enemies, and fatigue 
them by want of Sleep, that they might afterwards at- 
Vol. il Numb. LXXVPL 
tack them with the Advantage of freffi Troops ; but no- 
thing ffiewed their Ingenuity more than what they contrived 
againft the Brigantines, by engaging them feparate ; for 
v/hich End they built thirty great Veffels of that fort 
which the/ called Piraguas, but of a larger Size, and 
ftrengthened with great Planks, to receive the Shot, and 
engage under better Shelter. They fallied in the Night 
with this Fleet, to poft themfelves behind the Reeds in the 
Lake, which grew fo high and thick, that they formed 
as it were feveral Groves impenetrable to the Sight. 
Their Defign was to draw thither the Brigantines, which 
cruized, about two at a time, to prevent any Relief get* 
ting into the City ; and to entice them into that Wood of 
Reeds they had provided three or four Canoes laden with 
Provifions, having likewife fixed a good Number of large 
Stakes in the Water, in hopes to deftroy the Brigantines^ 
or to make it eafier to board them. Thefe Contrivances 
fufficiently ffiewed, that they knew how to defend them- 
felves and offend their Enemies, and that they wanted 
not thofe Subtilties. The next Day, four of the Brigan* 
tines that attended Sandoval were to cruize about that Part, 
under the Command of the Captains Barba and Portilla. 
As foon as the Mexicans fpied them, they fent out their 
Canoes another Way, that, being feen at a Diftance, they 
might fly among the Reeds ; Which was fo well executed, 
that the two Brigantines purfued the Prize with the utmoft 
force of their Oars, and foon fell in among the hidden 
Stakes, where they were fo embarraffed, that they could 
neither go forward nor backward. At the fame time the 
Enemies Piraguas c^me out, and attacked them on all 
Sides with fuch defperate Fury, that the Spaniards were 
very near being loft. 
But, exerting the utmoft Efforts of their Courage, 
they maintained the Fight until fuch as were expert 
Swimmers, with Hatchets and other Tools, removed 
thofe Stakes amongft which the Brigantines were faftened ; 
and, being thus at liberty to work their Veffels, and play 
the Artillery, they funk moft of the Piraguas, and 
followed the reft as far as Cannon-ball would reach. The 
Mexicans fuffered exceedingly, but the Brigantines were 
much damaged, feveral Spaniards wounded, and all 
much fatigued : Capt. Portilla was killed, to whofe in- 
defatigable Bravery the Succefs was chiefly owing, and 
Cdcpt. Barba received feveral Wounds, of which he died 
three Days after: Both thefe Loffes Cortes greatly lamented, 
and particularly that of Barba, for in him he loft a Friend 
ever fteady, and a brave Soldier. It was not long before 
this Difafter was revenged ; for Cat Mexicans^ having 
repaired their Piraguas, and reinforced them with new 
Veffels of the fame Kind, concealed themfelves a fecond 
time among the Reeds, fortifying the Avenue with a great 
Number of Stakes, believing the Spaniards would again 
fall into the fame Snare, without their giving a different 
Colour to the Deceit. Cortes, having Intelligence of this 
Motion of the Enemy, and being defirous of revenging 
the Lofs he had fuftained, as foon as he could ordered 
fix Brigantines, in the Night, amongft another Parcel of 
Reeds, not far from the Place where the Enemy had hid 
themfelves ; and, making Ufe of their own Stratagem, 
one of them was to lally early in the Morning, as if in 
fearch for the Canoes laden with Provifions, and after- 
wards draw as near the concealed Piraguas as was necef- 
fary, to let them fee they were difeovered \ which done, 
ffie was to tack, and by a hafty Flight to draw .jthem to 
the Place of the Counter-ambuffade : Every thing fuc- 
ceeded as could have been wiffied : The Enemy fallied 
with their Piraguas in Purfuit of the Brigantine which 
they looked upon as their own, till, being come within a 
convenient Diftance, the other Brigantines ruffied out, 
and, before they could ftop or . turn, gave them fuch a 
terrible Salute with all their Artillery, that the very firft 
Diffharge overfft beft part of them, and put the Mexi- 
cans who were on board the reft, into fuch a Confter- 
nation, that before they could recover themfelves almoft 
all the Piraguas were funk by the next Vollies, and moft, 
of the Men periflied ^ fo that the Enemies Fleet was 
entirely ruined ^ arid Cortes had the fmgular Satisfadliori 
of having given them a Defeat by their own Stratagem. 
The Spaniards had Intelligence of what paffed in the 
City, by the Prifoners they took | and finding that Hun- 
L I ger 
