vain: the utmost that he could effect, was to prevail with them to defer their departure, on a promise, that he would, at a more proper time, dismiss such as should desire it.. That the malecontents might be diverted from brooding over the causes of their disaffection, he resolved instantly to call forth his troops into action. His first expedition was against the Tepeacans who had cut off a small detachment of Spaniards, consisting mostly of the followers of Narvaez, when marching from Zempoalla to Mexico: another party had been destroyed in the mountains as they were returning from Tlascala to Vera Cruz, with the share of the Mexican gold allotted to the garrison. The desire of vengeance engaged them more willingly in this

war.

Cortes took the command in person, and in the space of a few weeks in several encounters, with great slaughter of the Tepeacans, reduced that province to subjection. Thus, for several months he kept his troops constantly employed against the adjacent provinces. His men thus accustomed to victory, resumed their former sense of their superiority; the Mexican power was weakened; and the Tlascalan warriors acquired the habit of acting in conjunction with the Spaniards; the chiefs were delighted with seeing their country enriched with the spoils of their enemies, and were astonished every day with fresh discoveries of the irresistible prowess of their new allies, and exerted every nerve to support them.

The reinforcements that Cortes expected from the isles was now the chief object of his thoughts; the aid of these, however, was distant and uncertain. But what neither his own sagacity nor power could have procured, he owed to a series of fortunate and unforeseen events The governor of Cuba, who supposed the success of Narvaez was ań infallible certainty, having sent two small ships after him with new instructions, and a supply of men, and military stores, the officer whom Cortes had appointed to command on the coast, artfully decoyed them into the harbour. of Vera Cruz, seized the vessels, and easily persuaded the soldiers to follow the standard of a more able leader, than him they were destined to join. Soon after, three ships of more considerable force came into the harbour separately. These belonged to an armament fitted out by Francisco de Garay, governor of Jamaica, who being pos

sessed with the rage of discovery and conquest, had long aimed at dividing the glory and gain of the Mexican empire with Cortes.

After a succession of disasters, they were compelled by famine to venture into Vera Cruz, and to cast themselves on the mercy of their countrymen: as if the spirit of revolt had been contagious to New Spain, these were easily persuaded to abandon their old master, and enlist under Cortes. A ship about this time also arrived from Spain, fitted out by some merchants, with military stores, in hopes of a profitable market, in a country, the fame of whose opulence, began to spread over Europe. Cortes eagerly purchased a cargo, which to him was invaluable, and the crew following the general example, joined him at Tiascala. It was a singular circumstance that the two persons chiefly instrumental in furnishing him with those seasonable supplies, should be, one an avowed enemy who sought his destruction, and the other an envious rival, who wished to supplant him.

The first effect of the junction with his new followers, was to dismiss such of Narvaez' soldiers, as remained with reluctance in his service. After their departure, he still mustered five hundred and fifty infantry, forty horsemen, and a train of nine field pieces; at the head of these, accompanied by ten thousand Tlascalans, and other friendly Indians, Cortes on the twenty eighth of December, 1520, began his march towards Mexico. The Mexicans, however, were prepared to receive him.

The chiefs of the empire, upon the death of Montezuma, instantly raised his brother Quetlavaca to the throne. He embraced the first opportunity of convincing them that he was worthy of their choice, by conducting in person, those fierce attacks, which compelled the Spaniards to abandon his capital. After their retreat, he took ́measures for preventing their return to Mexico. He saw the storm that was gathering; he therefore repaired what the Spaniards had destroyed in the city, and strengthened it with new fortifications; he filled his magazines with the usual weapons of war, and directed long spears to be made, headed with the swords and daggers taken from the Spaniards, in order to annoy the cavalry. He summoned the people in every province to take arms; he also endeavoured to persuade the Tlascalans, to withdraw their aid and

friendship from those strangers, who had given such manifest indications of their enmity to their gods, and who would at last subject them to the same yoke they were endeavouring to impose upon others.

These representations were urged with such force and solid reason, that it required all the address of Cortes to prevent their making a dangerous impression. But while the Mexican chief was forming his plan of defence, with great foresight, the small pox, which the Spaniards had introduced into New Spain, put an end to his career. The Mexicans at his death, raised to the throne Guatimozin, nephew and son-in-law to Montezuma, a young man of high reputation for abilities and valour; and at this dangerous crisis, his countrymen with one voice called him to the supreme command.

As Cortes entered the enemy's territories, he found va rious obstructions; but his troops forced their way with little difficulty, and took possession of Tezcuco, the second city of the empire, about twenty miles from Mexico. Here he established his head quarters, it being a convenient station for launching his brigantines, and for making his approaches to the capital.

The cazique or chief who presided there, he deposed, under pretext of some defect in his title, and put in his place, a person whom a faction of the nobles pointed out as the right heir to that dignity. By this artifice the new cazique and his adherents, served the Spaniards with inviolable fidelity. Cortes having early discovered symp toms of disaffection, in the cities situated round about Mexico, availed himself of this circumstance to gain their confidence and friendship.

He offered with confidence to deliver them from the galling yoke of the Mexicans, and was very liberal of promises if they would unite with him against their oppressors. By these arts he prevailed upon several considerable districts, not only to acknowledge the king of Castile for their sovereign, but to supply the Spanish camp with provisions, and to augment his army with auxiliary troops. Guatimozin on the first appearance of disaffection among his subjects, exerted himself with vigour to prevent or punish their revolt. He beheld with deep concern, Cortes arming against his empire, those very hands which ought to have been active in his defence, and ready to march

against the capital at the head of a numerous body of his own subjects.

While Cortes was thus circumscribing the Mexican power, a dangerous conspiracy had nearly ruined all his schemes. The soldiers of Narvaez, who still remained with him, had never perfectly united with the original companions of Cortes, neither did they enter so cordially into his measures. And now on a near view of what they had to encounter, in attempting to reduce a city so inaccessible as Mexico, and defended by a numerous army, their resolution began to fail. They now began to cabal and censure their general's measures, and propose plans for their own safety, of which they deemed their commander totally negligent.

Antonio Villefagna, a private soldier, but bold, intriguing, and strongly attached to Velasquez, artfully fomented this growing disaffection. His quarters became the rendezvous of the malecontents, where, after many consultations they agreed that their only remedy was, to assassinate Cortes and his most considerable officers, and conferring the command on some person who would relinquish his plans, and adopt measures which, in their opinion, were more consistent with the general security. Despair inspired them with courage. The hour for executing their design, the destined victims, and the officers to succeed them, were all named. These resolutions were signed by the conspirators, who bound themselves to each other by the most solemn oaths to mutual fidelity.

But on the evening before the appointed day, one of Cortes's ancient followers, who had been seduced, touched with compunction at the imminent danger of a man whom he had been long accustomed to revere, went privately to his general, and revealed to him all he knew. Cortes though deeply alarmed, repaired instantly to the quarters of Villefagna, accompanied by some of his most trusty officers. The astonishment at this unexpected visit, anticipated the confession of his guilt. While his attendants seized him, Cortes snatched from his bosom a paper containing the association, signed by the conspirators. Impatient to know how far the defection extended, he retired to read it, and found in it names which filled him with surprize and sorrow. Policy made him confine his enquiries to Villefagna alone, as the proofs of his guilt were manifest. He was

condemned, after a short trial, and next morning was seen hanging before the door of the house in which he had lodged.

Cortes called his troops together, and having explained. to them the atrocious designs of the conspirators, as well as the justice of the punishment of Villelagna, he added with an appearance of satisfaction, that he was entirely ignorant of the other conspirators; as the traitor when arrested had suddenly torn and swallowed a paper which probably gave an account of the conspiracy; and could not be made, under the greatest tortures to discover his accomplices. This artful declaration restored tranquillity to many a breast, that was throbbing with apprehension.

Cortes did not allow them leisure to ruminate on what had happened, but immediately called forth his troops to action. He had received intelligence that the materials for building the brigantines were ready. He therefore sent a convoy of two hundred foot-soldiers, fifteen horsemen, and two field pieces, under the command of Sandoval, whose activity and courage was manifested upon every occasion, and who had acquired the confidence, not only of Cortes, but of his fellow-soldiers. The service was singular and important the whole utensils, the beams, plank, masts, cordage, sails, iron-work, and an infinite variety of articles, were to be carried sixty miles over land, through a mountainous country, by people who were unacquainted with the aid of domestic animals, or the use of machines.

The Tlascalans furnished for this purpose eight thousand Tamemes, an inferior order of men destined for servile uses, to carry the materials on their shoulders, and appointed fifteen thousand warriors to accompany and defend them. Sandoval placed the Tamemes in the centre, one body of warriors in the front, and another in the rear, with considerable parties to cover the flanks. To each of these he joined some Spaniards to assist them in danger, and accustom them to regularity and subordination.

A body so numerous and so encumbered, advanced but slowly, but in excellent order. In some places, where they were confined by woods or mountains, the line of march extended above six miles. Parties of Mexicans frequently appeared hovering around them on the high grounds, but perceiving that there was no prospect of success in attack