M E X I C O. 287 
the rainy feafon, overflowed the flat country, thefe caufe- 
ways were of confidera'ole length. That of Tacuba, on 
the weft,.a mile and a half; that of Tezcuco, on the 
north-weft, three miles ; that of Cuoyacan, towards the 
fouth fix miles. On the eaft there was no caufeway, and 
the city could be approached only by canoes. In each of 
thefe caufeways were openings at proper intervals, through 
which the waters flowed; and over thefe beams of tim¬ 
ber were laid, which being covered with earth, the caufe¬ 
way or ftreet had every-where an uniform appearance. 
As the approaches to the city were Angular, its conftruc- 
tion Was remarkable. Not only the temples of their 
gods, but the houfes belonging to the monarch, and to 
•perfons of diftin&ion, were of fuch dimenfions, that, in 
companion with any other buildings which had been 
difcovered in America, they might be termed magnificent. 
The habitations of the common people were mean, re- 
•fcmbling the huts of other Indians ; but they were all 
placed in a regular manner, on the banks of the canals 
•which patted through the city, in fome of its diftribts, or 
on the fides of the ftreets which interfe&ed it in other 
quarters. In feveral places were large openings or fquares, 
. one of which, allotted to the great market, is faid to have 
been fo fpacious that forty or fifty thoufand perfons car¬ 
ried on traffic there. In this city, the pride of the New 
if. World, and the nobleft monument of the induftry and 
art of man, while unacquainted with the ufe of iron, the 
Spaniards who are moll moderate in their computations, 
reckon that there were at leaft 160,000 inhabitants. 
But, how much foever the novelty of thofe objebls 
might amufe or aftonifh the Spaniards, they felt the ut- 
moft folicitude with refpeft to their own fituation. From 
a concurrence of circumftances, no lefs unexpected than 
favourable to their progrefs, they had been allowed to pe¬ 
netrate into the heart of a powerful kingdom, and were 
now lodged in its capital, without having once met with 
open oppofition from its monarch. The Tlafcalans, how¬ 
ever, had earneltly diffuaded them from placing fuch con¬ 
fidence in Montezuma as to enter a city of fuch peculiar 
fituation as Mexico, where that prince would have them 
at mercy, lhut up as it were in a fnare, from which it was 
impoflible to efcape. They allured them that the Mex¬ 
ican priefts had, in the name of the gods, counfelled their 
lovereign to admit the ftrangers into the capital, thatffe 
might cut them off there at one blow with perfect f-uff? 
rity. The Spaniards now perceived, too plainly, that the 
apprehenfions of their allies were not deftitute of founda¬ 
tion ; that, by breaking the bridges placed at certain in¬ 
tervals on the caufeways, or by deftroying part of the 
caufeways themfelves, their retreat would be rendered 
impracticable, and they mult remain cooped up in the 
centre of a hoftile city, furrounded by multitudes fuffi- 
cient to overwhelm them, and without a poffibility of re¬ 
ceiving aid from their allies. 
Before he fet out from Cholula, Cortes had received 
e advice from Villa Rica, that Qualpopoca, one of the Mex¬ 
ican generals on the frontiers, having aflembled an army 
in order to attack iome of the people whom the Spaniards 
had encouraged to throw” off the Mexican yoke, Efca- 
lante had marched out with part of the garrifon to fup- 
port his allies ; that an engagement had enfued, in which, 
though the Spaniards were victorious, Efcalante, with 
feven of his men, had been mortally wounded, his horfe 
killed, and one Spaniard had been furrounded by the 
enemy and taken alive; that the head of this unfortu¬ 
nate captive, after being carried in triumph to different 
cities, in order to convince the people that*their invaders 
were not immortal, had been lent to Mexico. Cortes, 
though alarmed with this intelligence, as an indication 
of Montezuma’s hoftile intentions, had continued his 
march. But, as foon as he entered Mexico, he became 
fenfible, that, from an excels of confidence in the fuperior 
valour and difcipline of his troops, as well as from the 
difadvantage of having nothing to guide him in an un¬ 
known country.but the defective intelligence which he 
received from people with whom his mode of communi¬ 
cation was very imperfeCt, he had pulhed forward into a 
fituation, where it was difficult to continue, and from 
which it was dangerous to retire. Difgrace, and perhaps 
ruin, was the certain confequence of attempting the lat¬ 
ter. The fuccefs of his enterprife depended upon fup- 
porting the high opinion which the people of New Spain 
had formed with refpeCt to the irrefiftible power of his 
arms. Upon the firft fymptom of timidity on his part, 
their veneration would ceafe; and Montezuma, whom 
fear alone reftrained at prefent, would let loofe upon him 
the whole force of his empire. At the fame time, he 
knew that the countenance of his own fovereign was to 
be obtained only by a feries of victories; and that no¬ 
thing but the merit of extraordinary fuccefs could fcreen 
his conduCt from the cenfure of irregularity. From all 
thefe confiderations, it was neceffary to maintain his fta- 
tion, and to extricate himfelf out of the difficulties in 
which one bold ftep had involved him, by venturing upon 
another (till bolder. The fituation was trying, but his 
mind was equal to it; and, after revolving the matter 
with deep attention, he fixed upon a plan no lefs extras 
ordinary than daring. He determined to feize Monte¬ 
zuma in his palace, and carry him a prifoner to the Span- 
iffi quarters. From the fuperftitious veneration of the. 
Mexicans for the perfon of their monarch, as well as their 
implicit fubmiffion to his will, he lipped, by having Mon¬ 
tezuma in his power, to acquire the fupreme direction of 
their affairs; or at leaft, with fuch a facred pledge in his 
hands, he made no doubt of being fecure from any effort 
of their violence. 
This he immediately propofed to his officers. The 
timid ftartled at a meafure fo audacious, and raifed ob¬ 
jections. The more intelligent and refblute, confcious 
that it was the only refource in which there appeared any 
profpeCt of fafety, warmly approved of it, and brought 
over their companions fo cordially to the fame opinion, 
that it was agreed inftantly to make the attempt. At his' 
ufual hour of visiting Montezuma, Cortes went to the 
palace, accompanied by Alvarado, Sandoval, Lugo, Ve- 
lalquez de Leon, and Davila, five of his principal officers, 
and as many trufty foldiers. Thirty chofen men followed, 
not in regular order, but launtering at fome diftance, as 
if they had no objeCt but curiofity.; fmall parties were 
polled at proper intervals, in all the ftreets leading from 
the Spanifh quarters to the court; and the remainder of 
his troops, with the Tlafcalan allies, were under arms, 
ready to fally out on the firft alarm. Cortes and his at¬ 
tendants were admitted without fufpicion ; the Mexicans 
retiring, as ufual, out of refpeCl. He addreffed the mo¬ 
narch in a tone very different from that which he had 
employed in former conferences; reproaching,him bit¬ 
terly as the author of the violent aflault made upon the 
Spaniards by one of his officers, and demanding public 
reparation for the lofs which lie had fuftained by the 
death of fome of his companions, as well as for the infuit 
offered to the great prince whole fervants they were. 
Montezuma, confounded at this unexpefted accufation, 
and changing colour, either from the confcioufnefs of 
guilt, or from feeling the indignity with which he was 
treated, afferted his own innocence with great earneft- 
nefs; and, as proof of it, gave orders inftantly to bring 
Qualpopoca and his accomplices prifoners to Mexico'. 
Cortes replied, with feeming complaifance, that a declara¬ 
tion fo refpeftable left no doubt remaining in his own 
mind ; but that fomething more was requilite to fatisfy 
his followers, who would never be convinced that Mon¬ 
tezuma did not harbour hoftile intentions, againft them, 
unlefs, as an evidence of his confidence and attachment, 
he removed from his own palace, and took up his refi- 
dence in the Spanifh quarters, where he fhould be ferved 
and honoured as became a great monarch. 
The firft mention of fo ftrange a propofal bereaved 
Montezuma of fpeech, and almolt of motion. At length 
he haughtily anlwered, “ That perfons of his rank were 
ng.fc 
