The herald., 1895-05-12


to launch his fleet on the lake.
In order to facilitate the march of the
different divisions the Tlascalans were
sent ahead and after they had started it
was noticed that Xicotenga ell Mozo who
was their Captain General was absent and
when the matter was Investigated he
learned that Xcotenga had secretly left
the night before for the purpose OF seiz-
ing the territory of Chichimecatece him
self, there being no Chief in Tlascala
in the absence of the latter, but Xico-
tenga ell Viejo, who was now very old and
b lind. And indeed it was already well
known that Xicotenga el Mozo had come
t o the war with an i'll will.
When Xicotenga ell Viejo became assured
of the reason of the absence of Xcotenga
ell Mozo he returned with all possible
dispatch to Tezcuco to inform Cortes.
and when he had done so Cortes sent
five of the principal men of Tezcuco
and others of Tlascala after him, with
instructions TO urge him to return
and to remind him of how loyal
Tlascala had always been and not to stain
the reputation of his people by desertin!g
in the midst of war, and to call to his
mind what faithful ally his father had
always been, and how he would now be
with us against Mexico if he were not so
old. And when they gave this message to
Xicotenga he replied that if his father
and the other Tlascaans had taken his
auSlCe lTOIl tne llTSJ luey WOulu HOt udNc
been vassals Of anybody, and that Cortes
would never have obtained the power
over them that he now had and that. in
short, he would not return. When Cortes
heard this he Immediately sent an Algu-
azil with four horsemen and some of the
chief men of Tezcuco with orders to take
and hang Nicotenga el MoZo wherever
they should find him. In this Cacique
there seemed to be no possibility of amend
ment. he had always been Il traitor and
was continually going from bad to worse.
and although Pedro dc AlvdraGo besought
Cortes to spare his life. and the latter
partly promised to do so yet he gave
secret orders to those in pursuit, under
no consideration TO spare him, and i'll
pursuance of these instructions they hung
him in small town subject to TeZcuco.
The affair of Nicotenga el Mozo
delayed our forward march SO
that we did not leave Tezcuco until the
next day which was the thirteenth of the
month OF May of the year 1921. when the
two divisions OF Pedro de Alvarado and
Cristoba de Oil commenced their march.
and it was understood that We should
camp that night in the town of Acuman.
Now it appears that Cristobal de Oil had
sent in advance to that town and taken
up all the best houses for his force mark
ing eacn one with small bush, so that
when Pedro de Alvarado's force arrived
there remained no quarters for him or his
soldiers. and over tnls II quarrel enSueu'
SO that the weapons OF our division were
drawn against that of Cristobal de Oh
and challenges were exchanged between
the Captains and blood would have been
shed had it not been for the good otflces
of some cavaliers who interfered between
the contending parties and prevented
conflict. and indeed bad feeling still eX-
listed which might have led to trouble but
Cortes. learning of the difficulty. imme-
diately wrote to Father Pedro Melgarelo
and Captain Luis Marin and the other
Captains, reprehendng them. and per,
suadng them to become friends. ana
there the difficulty ended. although III 1eel-
ing existed between Crlstobal de Oll ana
Pedro de Alvarado long afterward over this
matter.
The next day both divisions marched
to a large town whose name | have for,
gotten and the day following we marched
to Guatitlan. We found botn towns de-
serted, as we also found the towns OF Es-
capulzalco and Tenayuca which were oc
cupied the next night 5y our Tlascalans
while we marched on to Tacuba. and all
that night the MeXicans from their boats
on the lake, for this palce was very near
the city. taunted us and endeavored to
provoke us to attack them. but by TINS
time we had learned something OF the dan
gers of fighting by night on the cause
ways. and therefore we remained in the
town until next day. which was Sunday.
1t was then determined that both forces
should march to Chapuitepec, which was
only about half a league from us, and
break the aqueduct which sup lied the
city with water. But we were not allowed
to do this unmolested, for the MeXicnns
well knew that after reaching Tacupa this
would be one of the first things we would
attempt and large squadrons OF warriors
lay in wait for us in certain bad places
i'll the road and we had sharp hght be-
4 RI
flight. after which we broke che aqueduct
and thereafter it was never repaired until
after the capture of the city.
Having accomplished this, our Captains
concluded to endeavor to capture bridge
on the causeway of Tacuha. This was
matter of great ditficu ty, for as we entered
the causeway. the lake On both SIDES being
covered with canoes full OF warriors, we
were almost overwhelmed with arrows
and other missiles which they poured
upon us. and as we followed those upon
the causeway they retreated, of which we
did not notice the object until suddenly
they closed in upon us from all sides, SO
that we could scarcely sustain the attack.
for the causeway was only eight feet
wide and we. being crowded. could not
use our arms to advantage, and when we
charged them they took to the water, ana
our horse was of no use because there was
no room fol them to maneuver, ana the
aruuebusiers and the crossbows did little
damage TO those in the canoes, as they
were Irotected by bulwarks of planks and
all this time the arrows and stones and
varas never ceased for Il moment After
the fight had lasted more than an hour and
as it was getting worse for us each mo-
ment and seeing q fresh fleet OF canoes
approaching from Mexico, we ordered the
Tlascalans to retreat along the causeway.
as they were embarrassing us very much
not being accustomed to discipline.
When the Mexcans saw this how they
pushed us, lighting hand to hand and
loot to foot. and indeed | cannot find
words to describe the feIocity of This fight,
and when we finally reached firm ground,
we returned sincere thanks to God for our
escape. We lost eight killed in this bat
tie and had fifty wounded.
And now even after we had reached firm
ground thev taunted us from the canoes
and called to the Tlascalans that if they
would wait they would come ashore and
fight them one to two. We gained but lit
tie honor by this enterprise, and the next
morning Cristobal dc Oh announced that
he was about to continue his march to
Cuyoacan, the post assigned him by
Cortes. and although Pedro de Alvarado
used every effort to induce him to stay
and pointed out the danger of dividing
our small force until the brigantines had
obtained command of the lakes, as if the
MeXicans shoulu learn of it they ight
cut us off in detail but Cristobal de Oil
was stubborn and angry because of the
defeat of The day before, which he attri-
buted to Pedro de Avarado, who had
proposed the attack ON the causeway,
and so he marched his division to CuyOa-