hearts, and rousing
their enthusiasm as only he could have done. His plan of action was to
establish his headquarters at some place upon the Tezcucan lake, whence
he could cut off the supplies from the surrounding country, and place
Mexico in a state of blockade until the completion of his ships should
enable him to begin a direct assault. The most difficult of the three
ways into the valley was the one Cortes chose; it led right across the
mountain chain, and he judged wisely that he would be less likely to be
annoyed by the enemy in that direction. Before long the army halted
within three leagues of Tezcuco, which you will remember was upon the
opposite shore of the lake to Mexico, and somewhat further north. Up to
this time they only had had a few slight skirmishes with the Aztecs,
though beacon fires had blazed upon every hill-top, showing that the
country was roused. Cortes thought it very unlikely that he would be
allowed to enter Tezcuco, which was now reigned over by Coanaco, the
friend and ally of Guatemozin. But the next morning, before the troops
were well under arms, came an embassy bearing a golden flag, and a gift
for Cortes, and imploring him to spare Coanaco's territories, and to
take up his quarters in his capital. Cortes first sternly demanded an
account of the Spaniards who, while convoying treasure to the coast, had
been slain by Coanaco just when Cortes himself was retreating to
Tlascala. The envoys declared at once that the Mexican emperor alone was
to blame; he had ordered it to be done, and had received the gold and
the prisoners. They then urged that to give them time to prepare
suitable accommodation for him, Cortes should not enter Tezcuco until
the next day; but disregarding this he marched in at once, only to find
the place deserted, and Coanaco well on his way across the lake to
Mexico. The general, however, turned this to his own advantage by
assembling the few persons left in the city, and then and there electing
a brother of the late sovereign to be ruler in his place, and when a few
months later he died, he was succeeded by Ixtlilxochitl, son of
Negahualpilli, who, always a friend of the Spaniards, now became their
most valuable ally, and by the support of his personal authority and all
his military resources, did more than any other Aztec chieftain to rivet
the chains of the strangers round the necks of his own countrymen.

THE SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF MEXICO.

The city of Tezcuco, w