hborhood, to ascertain if any hostile
movement was contemplated. To his surprise, he saw immense crowds of
people, thronging the thoroughfares on the other side of the city, and
going, with as much of their substance as they could carry, towards the
metropolis. Supposing that the city, when evacuated, would be given up
to the flames, and that he should thus be cut off not only from
supplies, but from a place of shelter and retreat, he instantly sent
forward a strong body of horse, with a battalion of infantry, to arrest
the fugitives, and to demand an interview with the cacique.

Flight having been resolved upon, and the city having been devoted to
destruction, as the most effectual annoyance to the Spaniards, no
preparations were made to resist such a movement as this. The unarmed
fugitives returned to their homes, in great numbers, and the city, with
all its abandoned palaces and temples, offered ample accommodations to
the invaders. The person of the chief was not secured, he having
effected his escape, with the principal part of his nobles, and all his
army, to the capital. Cortez, assuming to act in the name of the king of
Castile, for whom he claimed the sovereignty of all these lands,
immediately deposed the reigning chief, absolving the people from all
further allegiance to him, and installed his brother, who was favorable
to the cause of the Spaniards, in his place.

Thus secured in such commanding quarters, the haughty Castilian surveyed
the field around him, and prepared himself, with great diligence and
deliberation, to regain possession of it. The most liberal and
conciliating overtures were made to the Emperor, if he would peaceably
acknowledge the sovereignty of Castile, and admit him, as the
representative of that crown, to the capital. These overtures were
promptly and scornfully rejected, and every avenue to amicable
negotiation effectually closed. The people of the country were sternly
forbidden, on pain of death, from holding any intercourse with the
strangers, or from administering, in any manner, to their wants. Large
rewards were offered for captives, and every inducement held out to
encourage the natives in a resistance, that should admit of no quarter,
and terminate only in the utter extermination of one of the parties.
Guatimozin was a man every way adapted to a crisis like this. Of a firm
indomitable spirit, patient of suffering and of toil, and skilful in all
the strategy of war and defence,