jured officer withdrew his troops from the field, when the Spaniards overwhelmed by numbers and wearied by their own exertions, were almost disabled from continuing the combat. This defection became contagious, and the impetuous Tlascalan General was compelled to retreat at the very moment that victory hovered over his standard. In this as in almost every other battle, between the Europeans and Indians, the loss of the respective parties was proportioned not to the numerical force but to the efficiency of weapons. The escaupil or cotton mail, yielded protection equal to steel, against arrows and spears headed with flint, and the Spanish buckler easily turned aside staves hardened in the fire, or pointed occasionally with copper, and broke the force of the more dangerous weapon the maquahuitl, or sword edged with itzli. But the cross bow, the arquebuse and the cannon, became tenfold more destructive from the dense masses of the Indian army, and the sharp Toledo blade passed easily through the body of the naked foe. The Spaniards had only one man killed, but sixty with all the horses were wounded, in the fiercely contested and protracted combat, whilst the havoc of the Tlascalans was enormously great. The number however, could not be ascertained, as the instant a warrior fell he was removed from the field; and these efforts of pride or humanity, tended greatly to distract the attention of the troops and to enfeeble their operations.

After this battle Cortes employed part of his force in foraging, whilst he awaited the reply to the reiteration of his proposals for peace. Notwithstanding their misfortunes, the majority of the Senate was indisposed to treat; yet the opinion began to prevail, that the Spaniards, if not gods, were of a supernatural race, and the Senators rationally required of the priesthood, the means most effectually

to check their superhuman power. This oracle unhesitatingly replied, that the visitors were neither immortal nor invincible; that being children of the sun, they were protected by their progenitor during the day; but that, with the departure of his rays their strength forsook them, and they became incapable of defence. Orders, therefore, were instantly despatched to Xicotencatl to make a night attack on the Spanish camp. In the execution of this command, the Tlascalan General showed no want of ability. To learn the position and defences of his enemies he sent fifty spies laden with provisions, and some other inconsiderable presents, bearing also, a pacific message. These messengers strolled for a while unregarded through the camp, their curiosity being supposed such as was natural to the occasion only. But the Totonacas soon observed, that the survey was remarkably close and particular, and communicated their suspicions, that the message was delusive, and that an extraordinary attack might be expected. Cortes immediately ordered the arrest of all the messengers and putting some to the torture, and threatening others, he obtained information of the Tlascalan's plan. Having hitherto discharged all his prisoners unharmed, without any apparent good effect on the disposition of his adversaries, the General now deemed an act of severity indispensable. The lives of his present captives were forfeited by the acknowledged laws of war, and any punishment short of death was deemed permissable. He, therefore, directed that the hands of seventeen, and the thumbs of the others should be cut off; and he despatched them in this miserable and bleeding condition to inform their commander, that he was prepared for, and awaited his approach. The troops were immediately put under arms, and at night, bells having been affixed to the breast plates

of the horses, they marched to meet the advancing enemy. The lamentable spectacle of the mutilated spies and the unwonted sounds of the bells, connected with the surprise at finding the foe, whom they expected to see deprived of all power, more active and terrible during the night than during the day, dismayed the Tlascalans and they dispersed and fled despite of every effort of their brave but obstinate leader to bring them into action.* The priests who had recommended a night attack, a measure wholly at variance with the established customs of the nation, fell victims to their presumption and expiated on the altar, their error in discovering the will of the gods.

VII. These repeated disasters abated the national fierceness, and the people and their princes became sincerely desirous of peace. But they were at a loss in what manner to address the strangers; whether as beings of a gentle or malevolent nature. Their amazing lenity in dismissing their prisoners, not only unhurt, but often with presents, indicated the first, but the severity exercised on the unfortunate spies seemed of the last. At length, four aged and venerable men appeared at the Spanish camp, attended by many persons bearing a present of fowls and fruits, several old female slaves wretchedly clad, some incense and a quantity of parrot feathers. "If," said they, addressing Cor

*The account given by B. Diaz, and by Solis, in relation to this night attack, and the mutilation of the spies appears confused and erroneous. They speak of two projected attacks by night, one of which, the first, was actually made upon the camp and without notice, and the other, was defeated after the knowledge of the design had been extorted from the spies. It is not probable that after the dispersion of the army in the first night engagement, and the discovery that the Spaniards did not lose their courage and vigour with the sun, that the Tlascalans made a second hopeless attack: We have therefore followed Clavigero in our narrative, his account being the most connected and consistent.

tes and his companions, "you are divinities of a cruel and savage nature, we present you these slaves, that you may eat their flesh and drink their blood-If your nature be immortal and beneficent, we offer you this incense and those plumes. If ye be men, lo! here is bread and meat and fruit to nourish you. Peace was now speedily concluded. The Tlascalans yielded themselves vassals to the crown of Spain, and engaged to assist Cortes in all his future operations, and in return, he promised to defend the Republic from all violence.*

many

This treaty was seasonably established for the Spaniards. The fatigue of service in which half the army was on duty every night, whilst the other half slept on their arms; the wounds which many of the soldiers had received; the diseases of the climate of which many had died; the scarcity of food notwithstanding the supplies from the friendly Indians; the want of hospital stores which compelled them to make their salves of the fat of the slain Indians, all made a burden so oppressive, that of the stoutest veterans began to murmur, to look upon the future with dread, and to chide that folly which had consented to deprive them of their ships, by which they might have retreated from such unequal conflicts and imminent dangers. It required the utmost exertion of Cortes' authority and address to check this spirit of despondence and to re-animate his followers with their wonted sense of superiority over the enemies with whom they had to contend. The submission of the Tlascalans, and their own triumphant entry into the capital city, where they were received with the reverence paid to beings of a superior order, banished at once from the minds of the adventurers all memory of past sufferings, and evil bodings

Robertson. Solis. Clavigero.

of the future; fully satisfying them, that there was not now, any power in America able to withstand their arms. *

VIII. But the peace with Tlascala was very distasteful to the Mexicans, whose emissaries earnestly remonstrated with Cortes on his easy credulity, which could confide in men who had treacherously assailed him, after having invited him to enter their country. They contrasted_this_conduct with the kindness and good faith of the Mexicans, and sought further to conciliate the Spaniard by new and valuable presents; earnestly beseeching him not to enter the Tlascalan territory, where he might be more securely and more effectually assailed. The General treated this warning lightly, and it was indeed wholly unwarranted. For, from the moment of pacification the Tlascalans remained the most faithful and attached allies of the Spaniards, and most joyfully offered to put the whole of their military force under the command of Cortes, to accompany him to the Court of Mexico. But this alliance was not the only fruit the Spaniards reaped from their victories. In the same camp where he received the Tlascalan embassadors, he was visited by deputies from the Republic of Huexotzinco, another enemy to Montezuma, and from the insurgent prince of Acolhuacan, Ixtlilxochitl, to congratulate him on his late successes, to offer him their alliance and to invite him to their respective countries. When Cortes understood the rank, pretension and power of the prince, he eagerly accepted his proffered friendship. The reception of the Spaniards in the capital of Tlascala on the 23d of September 1519, was attended with great splendor. Triumphal arches adorned with garlands of flowers, were erected by the inhabitants in all the

* Solis. Bernal Diaz. Robertson.