any direction he might choose. He likewise
issued orders to the respective commanders of the brigantines not to
commence an attack on the canoes before the wind, which had just
commenced blowing from the land, should have increased. When the
Mexicans found our fleet was moving off again, they not incorrectly
ascribed it to fear, and they immediately advanced with their canoes to
fall upon the brigantines. There now suddenly arose a stiffish breeze,
our rowers pulled with all their might, and Cortes ordered the
brigantines to run right in among the canoes. Numbers were bored into
the ground, many of the enemy killed and wounded, and all the rest of
the canoes turned round, and made off at a rapid rate, to seek refuge
between the houses built in the lake, where they could not be followed
by the brigantines. This was our first naval engagement, and Cortes
gained the victory, thanks be to the Almighty.

After this encounter he steered for Cojohuacan, where Oli had taken up
his position. Here again he fell in with large bodies of the enemy, who
lay in wait for him at a point of considerable danger, and attempted to
carry off two of the brigantines. They attacked him at the same time
from their canoes, and from the tops of the temples. Cortes now fired
in upon them with the cannon, and killed great numbers. The artillerymen
fired away so incessantly upon this occasion, that all their powder was
consumed, and some of them had their faces and hands burnt. Cortes then
despatched the smallest brigantine to Iztapalapan, to bring away all the
powder Sandoval had with him there, and wrote word to him not on any
account to quit that place. He himself staid the two next days with Oli,
on whose position the enemy continued their attacks without
intermission.

I must now also relate what took place at this time in Tlacupa, where I
was stationed with Alvarado.

When we received intelligence that Cortes had run out with the
brigantines, we advanced along our causeway up to the bridge, but this
time with greater precaution. Our cavalry was stationed in front of the
causeway, while the remaining troops moved along in a close body up to
the bridge, the crossbow-men and musketeers keeping up an incessant fire
upon the enemy. In this way we renewed the attack each day, and repaired
the gaps in the causeway, but three of our men had been killed.

In the meantime the enemy did Sandoval considerable damage from the tops
of the houses which s