on the following day found that the enemy had entirely
quitted the neighbourhood, he despatched five of the inhabitants, whom
he had taken prisoners in the late battles, two of whom were chiefs, to
the caziques of this township, desiring them to send him messengers of
peace, and assured them a free pardon for all the past. They, however,
sent word that they durst not comply with this summons, from fear of the
Mexicans. Offers of a similar nature, which Sandoval made to another
large township, met with no better success. This latter place was called
Acapalista,[9] and lay about eight miles from Huaxtepec. It was in vain
that Sandoval desired them to consider the difference between war and
peace, and to ask themselves what benefit their neighbours of Huaxtepec
had derived from all the Mexican troops they had harboured. He desired
them to drive away the Mexican garrison, or he would himself march
against them, and treat them as enemies. Their reply to this was as
follows: "He might come when he liked: they had made up their minds to
make a sumptuous repast off their bodies, and to offer up savoury
sacrifices to their gods."

The caziques of Chalco, who were with Sandoval being aware that there
was a much stronger body of Mexicans lying in Acapalista than had yet
appeared in the field of battle, and that they merely awaited a
favorable opportunity to renew the attack upon their town, urgently
requested him to march thither, and drive the enemy out of that town.
Sandoval at first refused to comply with their request, considering that
he himself, with many of his troops, and most of the horses, were
wounded, and that he did not wish to advance farther than Cortes had
ordered him; besides which, several cavaliers of Narvaez's troops urged
him to return to Tezcuco, and represented to him that Acapalista was a
town of great strength, where they might easily meet with a total
overthrow. But the captain Luis Marin strongly advised Sandoval to the
contrary, and thought he was not justified in returning before the work
was half finished, as the enemy would certainly renew the attack upon
Chalco, and thereby defeat the object of the expedition altogether. By
these arguments Sandoval was convinced of the necessity of marching
against this town, which lay only eight miles farther on, and he set out
for that place.

When he had arrived in the neighbourhood of the town, a large body of
Mexicans came advancing towards him, and attacked