once more
to abandon it, after which the Tlascalans pillaged and set fire to the
houses, much against the will of Cortes, but they were a fierce race,
and sometimes dangerous to friends as well as foes. After six days the
general went back to Tezcuco, and for some time things went on as
before, with many skirmishes and expeditions against the towns
garrisoned by the Mexicans. Sandoval took several strongholds which
threatened the security of Chalco, and all the while the work upon the
canal was going rapidly forward, and the ships were nearing completion
in spite of three attempts made by the enemy to burn them. Just at this
time came the welcome news that three vessels had arrived at Villa Rica,
with two hundred men on board well provided with arms and ammunition,
and with seventy or eighty horses, and the new comers soon made their
way to Tezcuco, for the roads to the port were now safe and open.

In April 1521, Cortes started once more to scour the country with a
large force, passing quite round the great lakes, and exploring the
mountain regions to the south of them. Here he came upon Aztec forces
intrenched in strong towns, often built like eagles' nests upon some
rocky height, so that to take them was a work of great difficulty and
danger. Once he found himself before a city which it was absolutely
necessary to subdue, but he was separated from it by a cleft in the
solid rock of no great width, but going sheer down thousands of feet.
The bridges which generally crossed it had been broken down at the
approach of the Spaniards, and as they stood there, unable to advance,
the enemy's archers as usual kept up a steady fire, to which they were
unavoidably exposed. The general sent a party to seek a passage lower
down, but they met with no success until they came to a spot where two
large trees, growing one on either side of the ravine, interlaced their
branches overhead, and by this unsteady and perilous bridge one of the
Tlascalans ventured to cross. His example was soon followed, and one by
one about thirty Spaniards and some more of the natives crawled across,
swinging dizzily above the abyss. Three lost their hold and fell, but
the rest alighted in safety on the other side and attacked the Aztecs,
who were as much amazed at their sudden appearance as if they had
dropped from the clouds. Presently a temporary bridge was contrived by
which the remainder of the force managed to cross also, and before long
the town wa