to Cempoalla to inform the soldiers there of
the liberality of Cortez, and of the wonderful array of gold
ornaments and chains worn by his soldiers.

Narvaez advanced to meet Cortez but, the weather proving bad, again
fell back on Cempoalla. Cortez, on the other hand, took advantage
of the weather, and in the night fell upon the garrison, and took
them completely by surprise.

Sandoval, with a small band, had been told off to attack the temple
occupied by Narvaez, and to take him prisoner. The general, with
the troops in the temple, defended himself bravely, until seriously
wounded by one of the long spears with which Cortez had armed his
men. The thatched roof of the temple was set on fire, the defenders
were driven out by the smoke, and Narvaez was seized and made
prisoner.

Another division, under Olid, fell upon the guns, captured them,
and turned them upon the temples in which the troops were
quartered; when the soldiers, whose loyalty to their commander had
already been sapped, accepted the offer of Cortez of an amnesty for
the past, and a full participation in the advantages of the
conquest of the country. Having sworn allegiance to Cortez as
captain general, they were incorporated in his little army.

In the morning, when they saw how small had been the body of men
who had defeated them, many regretted the course they had taken,
but in the course of the day the two thousand native allies from
Chinantla arrived, and their military appearance, and the proof
afforded by their presence of the influence of Cortez with the
inhabitants of the country, put a stop to the murmuring; especially
as Cortez ordered all the spoils taken from them to be returned,
and distributed among them considerable sums of money--exciting,
indeed, murmurs of discontent among his own veterans, who
considered that they had been deprived of the spoil they had
rightfully won.

The eloquence of their general, however, as usual, was successful
in pacifying them; but to prevent further difficulties, he broke up
his force, and sent off two hundred men under Diego de Ordaz, and a
similar number under Velasquez de Leon, to form settlements on the
coasts and rivers; and two hundred men to Vera Cruz, to dismantle
the fleet of Narvaez.

Scarcely had these parties left when a messenger arrived with
letters from Alvarado, saying that the Mexicans had risen and
assaulted the Spaniards in their quarters, and had partly
undermined the walls; and t