itions, composed of his own men and bodies of the allies,
and inflicted terrible punishment on the districts where the
isolated parties of Spaniards had been cut off and destroyed; and
defeated the natives in several hardly fought battles, capturing
their towns and enslaving the inhabitants.

Having thus restored the confidence of his followers and allies, he
prepared for a forward movement. Martin Lopez, ship builder to the
expedition, had escaped the slaughter on the causeway; and he now
ordered him to build at Tlascala thirteen ships, which could be
taken to pieces and carried on the shoulders of the Indians, to be
launched on Lake Tezcuco. The sails, rigging, and ironwork were to
be brought from the coast, where they had been stored since Cortez
had sunk his ships.

The Tlascalans placed a great number of men at the ship builders'
disposal. Timber was cut from the forest. Pitch, an article unknown
to the natives, obtained from the pines. New arms were manufactured.
Powder was made, with sulphur obtained from the volcanoes. And the
work, heavy though it was, was rapidly brought to a conclusion.

While it was going on, however, a terrible scourge swept over the
country. Smallpox, a disease hitherto unknown there, broke out on
the seacoast and swept across Mexico, carrying off great
numbers--among the victims being Maxixca, the faithful friend of
the Spaniards; and Cuitlahua, Montezuma's successor.

The latter was succeeded by Guatimozin, nephew of the two last
monarchs, who had married his cousin, one of Montezuma's daughters.
Like Cuitlahua he was a gallant prince, and had distinguished
himself greatly in the attacks on the Spaniards, in Mexico. He
continued the preparations Cuitlahua had begun for the defense;
but, like him, was greatly hampered by the fact that a large
proportion of the tribes recently conquered by the Aztecs had
seized the opportunity, caused by the confusion in the empire, to
throw off their allegiance; the royal orders being really obeyed
only by the population of the Valley of Mexico, itself.

Before starting on his march towards Mexico, Cortez permitted
several of his companions, who were disinclined to face a renewal
of the trials and hardships they had suffered, to leave; placing
his best ship at their disposal. Their loss was more than made up
by the capture of two vessels sent by Velasquez, who was ignorant
of the fate which had befallen Narvaez; and who considered it
certain that C