The Mexicans Fell Upon This Weak Rear-Guard By Surprise During The March, Killing Two Of Our Men And Wounding All The Rest; And Though Sandoval Made All The Haste He Could To Their Rescue, The Mexicans Escaped On Board Their Canoes With Very Little Loss.

He now placed the Tlascalans in security, by escorting them beyond the Mexican garrisons, and sent forward the letter

Of our general to the commandant of Villa Rica, by which he was enjoined to send what reinforcements he could possibly spare to Tlascala, there to wait until they were quite certain that the road from thence to Tezcuco was clear. Sandoval, after seeing the Tlascalans safe upon their journey, returned towards Chalco, sending word secretly to the inhabitants, who were very impatient under the Mexican yoke, to be in readiness to join him. He was attacked on his march through a plain covered with maize and _maguey_, by a strong body of Mexican troops, who wounded several of his men; but they were soon repulsed and pursued to a considerable distance by the cavalry. Sandoval now prosecuted his march to Chalco, where he found the cacique of that place had recently died of the small-pox, having recommended his two sons on his deathbed to the protection of Cortes, as he was convinced we were the bearded men who, according to their ancient prophecy, were to come from the eastern countries to rule over this land, and had therefore commanded his sons to receive the investiture of their state from the hands of Cortes.

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