Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/93

 when he arrived the next day, he planted his camp where I had commanded him. Thenceforward the city of Temixtitan was surrounded on all sides wherever they could reach the mainland by the causeways.

I had, Very Powerful Lord, two hundred Spanish foot soldiers in the camp on the causeway, amongst whom were twenty-five archers and musketeers, besides the people on the brigantines, who were more than two hundred and fifty. As we had the enemy completely invested and had many friendly warriors, I determined to penetrate into the city as far as possible by the causeway, while the brigantines should cover our rear on the one side and the other. I ordered some horsemen and foot soldiers of the division in Cuyoacan to repair to my camp and enter with us, and ten horsemen to remain at the entrance of the causeway, protecting our rear. It seemed best that some force should remain in Cuyoacan, because the natives of Suchimilco, Culuacan, Iztapalapa, Chilobusco, Mexicalcingo, Cuitaguacad, and Mizquique, which are all on the water, were rebellious and in favour of those of the city, and should they wish to take us on our rear, we would be protected by those ten or twelve horsemen I ordered to guard the causeway, while many more remained in Cuyoacan with more than ten thousand Indian allies. I likewise ordered the alguacil mayor and Pedro de Alvarado to attack, from their positions, that same day, for I wished on my part to gain as much of the city as was possible.

Thus, I left the camp early in the morning, and advanced on foot along the causeway. We speedily found the enemy, defending a breach in the road,  First Entrance into the City one lance-length in width and as much in depth, where they had built an earthwork; both our attack and their defence were very stubborn. Finally we took it, and advanced further by the causeway, until we reached the entrance of