was
the first to try its strength, and, riding across, was followed by his
little body of cavalry, his infantry, and Tlascalan allies, who formed
the first divisions of the army. Then came Cortes and his squadrons,
with the baggage, ammunition wagons, and a part of the artillery. But
before they had time to defile across the narrow passage, a gathering
sound was heard, like that of a mighty forest agitated by the winds. It
grew louder and louder, while on the dark waters of the lake was heard a
plashing noise, as of many oars. Then came a few stones and arrows
striking at random among the troops. They fell every moment faster and
more furious, till they thickened into a terrible tempest, while the
very heavens were rent with the yells and war cries of myriads of
combatants, who seemed all at once to be swarming over land and lake!

The Spaniards pushed steadily on through this arrowy sleet, though the
barbarians, dashing their canoes against the sides of the causeway,
clambered up and broke in upon their ranks. But the Christians, anxious
only to make their escape, declined all combat except for
self-preservation. The cavaliers, spurring forward their steeds, shook
off their assailants, and rode over their prostrate bodies, while the
men on foot with their good swords or the butts of their pieces drove
them headlong again down the sides of the dike.

But the advance of several thousand men, marching, probably, on a front
of not more than fifteen or twenty abreast, necessarily required much
time, and the leading files had already reached the second breach in the
causeway before those in the rear had entirely traversed the first. Here
they halted, as they had no means of effecting a passage, smarting all
the while under unintermitting volleys from the enemy, who were
clustered thick on the waters around this second opening. Sorely
distressed, the vanguard sent repeated messages to the rear to demand
the portable bridge. At length the last of the army had crossed, and
Magarino and his sturdy followers endeavoured to raise the ponderous
frame-work. But it stuck fast in the sides of the dike. In vain they
strained every nerve. The weight of so many men and horses, and above
all of the heavy artillery, had wedged the timbers so firmly in the
stones and earth, that it was beyond their power to dislodge them. Still
they laboured amidst a torrent of missiles, until, many of them slain,
and all wounded, they were obliged to aban