nd defiant as ever. Several attempts
which Cortez had made to open negotiations with the young emperor
had been received with scorn. It was certain that, sooner or later,
famine would do its work; for the approaches to the city were all
in the hands of the Spaniards, and as the towns of the lake were
either friendly or overawed by the great army of their allies, even
the canoes, which at first made their way in at night with
provisions, had ceased to steal across in the darkness. The great
native levies were of little use to the Spaniards in the absolute
fighting, but they did good service by overawing the towns, making
expeditions against the tribes that had not yet consented to throw
in their lot with the invaders, and by sweeping in provisions from
a wide extent of country.

But to wait until famine did its work little suited the spirit of
the Spaniards. The process would assuredly be a long one, for men
who fought so stoutly would resist starvation with equal tenacity;
besides, the duration of the siege was already beginning to excite
discontent among the allies, whose wars were generally of very
short duration. The Spaniards, too, were suffering from severe
illness brought on by fatigue, exposure, and hardship.

It was now determined to make a grand effort to obtain possession
of the great market of Tlatelolco, which lay on the northwestern
part of the city. Its possession would enable the force of Cortez
to join hands with those of Alvarado and Sandoval; and the spacious
market itself, with its halls and porticoes, would furnish
accommodation for the army; and enable them to attack the city at
close quarters, instead of having to fight their way, every day,
along the causeway.

Sandoval was to join Alvarado, sending seventy picked troops to
support Cortez. Advancing along the causeway, and supported not
only by the ships, but by a countless host of canoes filled with
the allies of the lake cities, who penetrated the canals, and
caused confusion in the rear of the Aztecs, the division of Cortez
cleared the suburbs of their opponents, and then advanced towards
the square of Tlatelolco by three great streets.

Alderete commanded the force that advanced by the main central
avenue. This was a raised causeway, with canals running on either
side of the road. Tapia and a brother of Alvarado commanded one of
the other columns, while Cortez led the third. A small body of
cavalry, with three guns, remained in reserve i