Cortes Builds Vessels for a Land and Water Attack—A Conspiracy against
his Life is Discovered—The Capital is Attacked
As Cortes approached the capital of the Province of Tezcuco, messengers
met him with signals of peace and urgently invited him in the name of
their cacique to make his night quarters in the city where everything
possible would be furnished for the comfort of himself and his men. The
invitation was accompanied with the request that Cortes might be pleased
to have his Indian auxiliaries camp outside the city. There being some
reason to doubt the sincerity of the cacique’s intentions, he decided to
avail himself of the invitation at once but at the same time to take
every possible precaution and make his entrance immediately, which was
accomplished at noon of December 31, 1520. As soon as he had occupied
the best and largest area of the city he deposed the cacique who had
stood by the Mexicans and been false to the Spaniards. He put in his
place the man who was declared by the people to be the most worthy. This
man, Ixtlilxochitl, was young and amiable, and of such a noble and
distinguished presence that Cortes could not refrain from embracing him
and assuring him of his friendship. He also decided to make his
headquarters in the city until all his arrangements for the conquest of
Mexico were completed.
The Mexicans at this time were in a very good state of defence. At the
places where the causeways had been cut, strong bulwarks and breastworks
were constructed to prevent the enemy from using floating bridges. The
new Emperor, Guatemozin, had armed many of his warriors with bows and
very long spears with which they could defend themselves at a
considerable distance. Besides this they had a countless number of
canoes, so that they could attack from every side. Cortes knew that he
could not think of capturing this really strong city until he had a
flotilla of small craft with which to dispose of these canoes. But how
was he to get them? There were only three or four ship-carpenters in his
entire army. All the building material would have to be procured in the
Tlaxcalan forest, and his whole Spanish force would not be sufficient to
convey it from there to Tezcuco. But the greater the difficulties which
confronted this extraordinary man, the stronger was his determination to
overcome them. A large number of Tlaxcalans were assigned to his
carpenters for manual service. While the necessary material was being
prepared, Cortes began to make himself master of the whole region
surrounding Mexico in order to cut off the unfortunate capital from
subsistence. He overpowered some of the towns by force and induced
others by mild means to enter into an alliance with him. Guatemozin
regarded the defection and loss of his faithful vassals with sorrow and
indignation and sought—but in vain—to prevent it. But his great heart
did not waver in the manly determination to defend his capital to the
last drop of blood.
In the meantime a danger impended over the head of Cortes which
threatened a tragic end to his undertaking and his life. The soldiers of
Narvaez had willingly joined Cortes, but they did so with the
expectation that in a short time and without much danger they would
secure untold treasures. The destruction of their hopes and the prospect
of all the dangers they must encounter in an attack upon Mexico created
great dissatisfaction with Cortes and bitter regret that they had
decided to follow him. Villafanga, a common soldier, but a smart,
venturesome fellow, who was still loyal to Velasquez, took advantage of
his comrades’ discontent to hatch a plot which contemplated nothing less
than the murder of the general and his leading officers, the choice of a
new leader, and return to Cuba. The plan was as follows: While Cortes
and his leading officers were at table a large packet of letters from
Vera Cruz should be brought in. The conspirators, under pretence of
desiring to hear from their country, would crowd about the general while
he was opening the packet, and suddenly slay him as well as all the
others who had been selected as victims. All was now ready for the
accomplishment of their black purpose. The following day was selected
and the conspirators, of whom there were a large number, had made their
plans so secretly that neither Cortes nor his friends had the slightest
suspicion of them. At the last moment, however, a fellow conspirator,
who had been one of Cortes’ men from the start, was suddenly seized with
remorse. His conscience stung him so fiercely that at last he ran to
Cortes’ quarters and made a clean breast of the whole matter.
Cortes was astonished but quickly decided what to do. In company with
some of his officers he went at once to Villafanga’s quarters. His
unexpected appearance at such a time and place so surprised the would-be
assassin that he could neither deny his guilt nor think of a defence. He
was instantly seized. Cortes snatched a paper from him, which he was
attempting to conceal in his bosom, and, concluding that it related to
the conspiracy, stepped aside a minute to examine it. It contained a
list of the conspirators, which filled him with surprise. But he wisely
concealed it and appeared as if he were not aware that any one else was
implicated. He reserved punishment for the principal offender, and as
his confession made any further investigation unnecessary, he was hanged
the same night in front of the house where he had been arrested.
On the next morning Cortes summoned his entire force and informed them
of Villafanga’s treachery and the penalty which had been inflicted, but
added that, notwithstanding all his efforts, he had not discovered any
of his accomplices, as Villafanga had been persistently silent even
under torture. He assured them that as far as he was concerned he was
pleased with this secrecy for it would have given him great pain to have
delivered any more of his companions into the hands of justice. He
closed his address by appealing to them to tell him in what way his
operations had been a disappointment or how he had incurred the
indignation of his comrades, so that he might correct his mistakes then
and there. The hearts of the guilty ones were relieved by these words.
They breathed freely again and in their joy at being undiscovered
resolved at every opportunity to display to their leader still greater
and more steadfast loyalty.
Cortes knew, however, that idleness may ruin the best of men. He
bestirred himself, therefore, to provide new occupation for these
turbulent ones so that they might have no opportunity for indulging evil
fancies. His good luck attended him again. He was informed that the
building material for thirteen vessels was ready to be brought from the
Tlaxcalan forests to Tezcuco. As the transporting had to be made by
Indian carriers and a strong guard was needed to protect them from the
Mexicans, the repentant conspirators were selected and the watchful,
brave, and true Sandoval was placed in command of them. The journey was
one of the most difficult they had ever undertaken. Eight thousand
_tamanes_, loaded with beams, planks, masts, ropes, sails, and
iron-work, went in the middle. A force of fifteen thousand Tlaxcalan
warriors escorted them in the advance, rear, and on both flanks, among
whom the Spanish soldiers were distributed to keep them in order and
accustom them to regular marching. The entire line was more than a mile
long. Sandoval placed himself at the head of the force and assigned the
command of the leading column to Chichimekatl, a young Tlaxcalan leader,
for the proud and fierce Xikotenkatl was no more. He could not endure
the thought of submission to the foreigners and incited a revolt. But
his purpose failed, his own people arrested him, and his own father, a
second Brutus, pronounced the death penalty and turned him over to the
Spanish general, that the penalty might be inflicted. But Cortes,
reluctant to consent to the death of the young, fiery patriot, pardoned
him, set him at liberty, and took him with him on the march to Mexico.
But even this magnanimous treatment did not move his proud heart. He
improved every opportunity to denounce the plans of the Spaniards with
republican outspokenness, and to prejudice his people against them. His
companions informed the Tlaxcalan High Council of his conduct, which in
turn notified Cortes that he was striving to raise a revolt in the army
and that by the law of their land he deserved the death penalty. It was
now incumbent upon Cortes to deal with him severely for if he returned
to Tlaxcala he would not be mercifully treated. Cortes, however, once
more told the obstinate young man that if he came to him and performed
his duties he should suffer no injustice. But the Tlaxcalan would not
consent, and when Cortes sent the guard to bring him by force he
resisted and defended himself until at last he fell dead from many
wounds. Such was the tragic end of a man who under other circumstances
might have been, perhaps, a Hannibal or a Cæsar.
The expedition had a march of fifteen miles before it, and the way led
mostly through a rough and mountainous region. Large bands of Mexican
soldiers frequently appeared but when they saw that the Spaniards were
always ready for attack, they withdrew. At last Sandoval, after a march
of extreme difficulty, had the good fortune to arrive safely at Tezcuco,
where he was received with open arms by Cortes. While they were engaged
in constructing the vessels, another fortunate event occurred. Some time
previously Cortes had sent some of his officers to Hispaniola to bring
him reinforcements if possible. He had long been anxious for their
return, and had long been disappointed, but at last the glad news came
that four vessels with large reinforcements had arrived at Vera Cruz
from Hispaniola. They brought two hundred soldiers, eighty horses, two
cannon, and a great quantity of powder and ammunition. The building of
the vessels was now pushed forward with the utmost zeal. Although the
Mexicans from time to time attempted to hinder the work and to burn them
on the stocks, their efforts were frustrated by Cortes’ watchfulness and
the bravery of his soldiers. At last the vessels were finished and
launched and as the wind filled their sails a joyous shout was raised,
announcing the important event to the whole surrounding region.
Cortes now decided to attack the city from three sides and divided his
army into as many columns. Sandoval was given command of the first,
Alvarado of the second, and Olid of the third. The first was to advance
from Tezcuco, the second from Tacuba, and the third from Kajahuakan,
while Cortes himself, commanding the vessels, was to support them. The
three took the positions assigned them and began the advance. Alvarado
and Olid on their march destroyed the fine aqueducts which brought the
sweet mountain water from many miles away into the island city. The
water famine which followed was only the beginning of the many hardships
with which the unfortunate people had to contend. From this time on, not
a day passed without some fierce encounter. The vessels had to attack a
vast swarm of small canoes and the land troops an equally vast swarm of
the enemy at the causeways. The frail canoes were soon destroyed or
driven ashore, however, but in the encounters at the causeways little
was achieved. The Spaniards attacked with the utmost vigor the bulwarks
erected to protect the openings, but every night they were forced to
retire to the mainland, while the besieged every night restored what
they had lost during the day. Notwithstanding all this bloodshed, they
made no progress from day to day, and the fatigue of the Spaniards and
their allies each day was so great that they began to fear they would
gradually succumb.