Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/71

Rh Cortés would before this have sent troops to secure possession of so promising a country, bet pressing affairs intervened, such as the arrival of Tapia, and it was not till the middle of 1522 that he despatched Olid with seventy cavalry, two hundred infantry, and a number of allies, who also assisted in conveying the artillery." If the country proved as desirable as represented, he was to form a settlement at Tzintzuntzan, and investigate the resources.

On arriving at Tangimaroa, the troops found the people occupied with a religious celebration, arrayed in their finest dresses and adornments. The display proved too tempting for the greedy soldiers, and jewelry and other valuables were extorted and stolen, in addition to other outrages, wherein the allies took a prominent part. The people actually rose to hostile demonstrations, but a volley from the arquebusiers, followed by a charge from the no less dreaded horses, put them to flight, the leaders being captured. These were reassured by Olid, who pretended to deplore the outrage, and now sent them to the king with peaceful protestations. Tangaxoan was not a little startled by the reports, and with the vision of the smoking ruins of Mexico before his eyes, dark forebodings crept upon him. His council was equally perplexed. Some of the members, headed by Timagé, the king's uncle, urged resistance to the last rather