ortez was a prisoner in his hands. The ships sailed
into port, where the captains and crews were at once seized, and
were then easily persuaded to join Cortez. Two ships fitted out by
the Governor of Jamaica also put into port, to repair damages after
a storm; and their crews were also persuaded, by the liberal
promises of Cortez, to abandon their service and join him. He thus
received a reinforcement of at least a hundred and fifty well-armed
men, together with fifty horses.

But this was not the end of the good fortune of Cortez. A merchant
ship, laden with arms and military stores, touched at Cuba; and the
captain, hearing of the discoveries in Mexico, thought that he
should find a good market there. He therefore sailed to Vera Cruz,
where his ship and cargo were purchased by Cortez, and the crew
swelled the force under him.

By Christmas everything was ready for the advance The army now
amounted to six hundred men, forty of whom were cavalry, with
eighty musketeers and crossbow men. It had also nine cannon taken
from the ships. The force of the native allies which joined them
was estimated at from one hundred and ten thousand, to one hundred
and fifty thousand; and consisted not only of the Tlascalan troops,
but of those of Cholula, Tepeaca, and other neighboring towns; who,
after their defeat by Cortez, had submitted themselves to the
Spanish rule.

But Cortez had no idea of taking all these with him, as it would be
difficult to obtain provisions for such a host; and he left them
behind, to bring on the vessels when completed, and to aid in
further operations. He himself marched with the Spaniards and a
small body of allies, and reached Tezcuco without opposition. The
prince whom Montezuma had appointed to succeed Cacama, fearing the
vengeance of the population, had fled to Tlascala; but returning,
in hopes of finding a party there in his favor, was seized and put
to death by Coanaco, another brother, who had been recognized as
king by the Tezcucans.

When the Spaniards approached the city, they found it almost
entirely deserted, the inhabitants having fled across the lake to
Mexico. Their ruler had accompanied them, and Cortez appointed
another brother in his place. This prince lived but a few months,
and was succeeded by another member of the royal house--the prince
who had, during Cacama's lifetime, obtained a large portion of his
dominion; and who proved a valiant and faithful ally of the
Spaniards, in t