The
Inhabitants Had Received A Reinforcement Of 8000 Mexican Warriors, Yet
They Fell Back Into The Town On Our Approach, And Even Fled Into Their
Canoes And The Houses Which Stood In The Water, Allowing Us To Occupy That
Part Of The Town Which Stood On The Firm Land.
As it was now night, we
took up our quarters for the night and posted our guards, unaware of a
stratagem which had been planned for our destruction.
On a sudden there
came so great a body of water into the streets and houses, that we had
been all infallibly drowned if our friends from Tezcuco had not given us
instant notice of our danger. The enemy had cut the banks of the canals,
and a causeway also, by which means the place was laid almost instantly
under water. We escaped with some difficulty, two only of our allies being
drowned; but all our powder was destroyed, and we passed a very
uncomfortable night, without food, and all wet and very cold; and were
very much provoked at the laughter and taunts of the Mexicans from the
lake. At daybreak, large bodies of Indians crossed over from Mexico and
attacked us with such violence, that they killed two of our soldiers and
one horse, and wounded many of us, and were repelled with much difficulty.
Our allies also suffered considerable loss on this occasion; but the enemy
were at last repulsed, and we returned to Tezcuco very little satisfied
with the fame or profit of this fruitless expedition.
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