ldiers were
determined to keep what they had so hardly won, he contented himself
with ordering the baggage to be placed in the centre guarded by part of
the cavalry, and having disposed the rest to the best advantage, they
once more set forth, at the last moment setting fire to the wooden
buildings of Xochimilco, which blazed furiously, the glare upon the
water telling far and wide the fate that had befallen it. Resting here
and there, and engaging in many skirmishes with the Aztecs who followed
them up, furious at the sight of the plunder which was being carried
away by the invaders, the army presently completed the circuit of the
lakes, and reached Tezcuco, to be greeted with the news that the ships
were fully rigged and the canal completed, so that there was no longer
any reason to delay their operations against Mexico.

It was a triumphant moment when the vessels were launched, and reached
the lake in good order. Cortes saw to their being properly armed and
manned, and then reviewed the rest of his forces, and summoned his
native allies to furnish their promised levies at once.

The general's plan of action against Mexico was to send Sandoval with
one division to take possession of Iztapalapan at the southern end of
the lake, while Alvarado and Olid were to secure Tlacopan and
Chapoltepec upon its western shore, and at the latter place destroy the
aqueduct, and so cut off the supply of fresh water from Mexico. This
they did successfully, and in several days of fierce fighting breach
after breach was carried, and the Spaniards penetrated the city as far
as the great teocalli, driving the natives before them, while the
Tlascalans in the rear filled up the gaps in the dyke as well as they
could, and brought up the heavy guns. Cortes and his men now pushed
their way into the inclosure of the temple, and some of them rushed to
the top, so lately the scene of their terrible battle, and there found a
fresh image of the war-god. Tearing away the gold and jewels with which
it was bedecked, they hurled it and its attendant priests over the side
of the pyramid, and hastened down to the assistance of their comrades,
who were by this time in a most perilous position, the Aztecs having
rallied and attacked them furiously. Indeed it seemed likely to go hard
with them, for they were driven helplessly back down the great street in
utter confusion and panic; but the timely arrival of a small body of
cavalry created a diversion in th