ust
return to Sandoval, who, after he had attended mass marched out with his
troops from Tezcuco and arrived in front of Chalco by break of day.

CHAPTER CXLII.

_How the captain Sandoval marches to Chalco and Tlalmanalco, and
what he did there._

Sandoval set out with his troops on the 12th of March, 1521. The first
night he encamped at Chalco, and arrived the next morning early before
Tlalmanalco, where the caziques and inhabitants gave him a most hearty
welcome, and provided abundance of food for his troops; but the caziques
informed him he had still to march further on to the large township of
Huaxtepec, where a large body of Mexican troops was stationed, who would
be joined by all the warriors of the province.

Sandoval, on receiving this information, concluded that there was no
time to be lost, and immediately marched towards Chimalhuacan, which was
subject to Chalco, where he quartered his troops for the night. The
inhabitants of Chalco had sent out spies in every direction, and learnt
that the enemy was not far off, but lay in wait for the Spaniards in the
thickets and hollows of the mountains. Sandoval, who was an officer of
great determination and foresight, ordered his march as follows: the
musketeers and crossbow-men went in advance, the cavalry were to follow
three and three together, and when the former had discharged their
pieces, the horse were to charge the enemy's line at full gallop, and to
direct the point of their lances at the face, and continue the attack
until the enemy was put to flight. The infantry were to keep their ranks
firmly closed, and not to rush in upon the enemy until a signal for that
purpose was given. This order of attack Sandoval deemed necessary, as
the enemy's numbers were very great, and the nature of the ground
unfavorable for his manoeuvres; besides that, it was impossible to
discover whether the Mexicans had not dug pits or laid other snares to
entrap the Spaniards; so that it was quite necessary his small army
should keep close together in a body.

After Sandoval had marched a little further on he came up with the
Mexicans, who were advancing towards him in three distinct bodies, with
fearful yells and the horrible din of drums and shell trumpets, and
instantly fell upon our troops like so many furious lions. As soon as
Sandoval observed that the enemy intended to fall upon him in three
distinct bodies, he likewise changed his order of attack, and comma