CHAPTER XXV.
CORTES CAPTURES AND ENLISTS THE ARMY OF HIS RIVAL
Hastening with all speed back over the road he had learned so well afew months before, Cortes led his little band across the valley, overthe lofty pass of its mountain wall, to the wide-spread table-land ofPuebla. Traversing this, by way of Cholula and Tlascala, the Conquerorfinally crossed the eastern Cordilleras, and plunged into the sea oftropic vegetation that revels in the damp heats of the Tierra Caliente.
Narvaez had established himself at Cempoalla, with the intention ofusing the Totonac city as a base of operations against Vera Cruz. ButSandoval realizing that with a force of sixty men, as opposed to athousand, discretion was by far the better part of valor, did not waitto be attacked. He slipped away during a night of stormy darkness, andwhen, on the following morning, his empty and echoing barracks weresummoned to surrender, their late occupants were effectually hiddenbehind a league or more of the well-nigh impenetrable forest in whichthey had disappeared. Making a great circuit, so as to elude pursuit,carefully avoiding all highways, and suffering incredible hardships intrackless forests and wild mountain defiles, Sandoval and his handfulof men at length effected a joyful junction with the slender forceunder Cortes.
They brought such news of the carelessness with which the camp ofNarvaez was guarded, and concerning the dissatisfaction of his troopswith their leader, that Cortes determined to attack him without delay.Through the alternate downpours and steaming sunbursts that mark therainy season of the tropics, the little army advanced to the bank ofa small river in the vicinity of Cempoalla, without being discovered.Here, while they lay concealed, they had the satisfaction of seeingNarvaez sally forth at the head of his troops, march as far as theopposite bank of the swollen stream, receive a thorough soaking from aheavy shower, and then, apparently convinced that his rival was nowherein that part of the country, march back again to his comfortablequarters.
That night, in a pelting storm, the veterans of Cortes forded thestream, bracing themselves against its rushing current with the longcopper-headed chinantla pikes obtained from the Aztecs. Two onlywere carried away by the flood, and the rest, advancing swiftly andstealthily, soon found themselves in the deserted and storm-sweptstreets of Cempoalla. Here, ere an alarm was given, they were socompletely masters of the situation that, although Narvaez and hisguard made a brave show of resistance, the moment the former fell,dangerously wounded, his entire army surrendered.
On the following morning their submission, which was accompanied by thelaying down of their arms, was formally accepted by Cortes. Then thetroops so recently opposed to him were re-enlisted, but this time underhis victorious banner. Not only were their arms and other propertyrestored to them, but they received liberal presents of the gold he hadwon from Aztec treasure-houses. Narvaez and his principal adherentswere sent in chains to Vera Cruz, and his fleet was dismantled of itssails, rigging, and portable iron-work. Thus Cortes became again,without question, the supreme ruler of Mexico.
Just as these matters were so happily adjusted, and he was consideringan extensive plan of new exploration and conquest, his attention wasabruptly recalled to Tenochtitlan. Late one night a weary and waywornnative warrior reached the Christian camp, and, being halted by asentry, who was one of Narvaez's men, demanded, in broken Spanish, tobe conducted to the General, for whom he claimed to have an importantcommunication. The sentry, being extremely suspicious of all Indians,including those who spoke Spanish, stood stoutly on the defensive,with levelled pike, and called loudly for the captain of the guard.This officer, who happened to be Sandoval, came hurrying to the post,attended by the watch, one of whom bore a lantern. The sentry had onlybegun to tell of the treacherous Indian who was seeking admission tothe commander, undoubtedly with designs against his life, when thelantern light flashed full in the warrior's face. As it did so a cryof delighted recognition came from the captain of the guard. Springingforward, he embraced the newly arrived stranger, calling him Don Juanand his brother, to the intense mystification of the gaping soldiers,who were witnesses of this unprecedented performance.
Bidding the watch retire, and the sentry resume his beat, Sandoval ledHuetzin to his own quarters, where, after he had partaken of the foodhe showed every evidence of needing, the latter inquired:
"Hast thou not heard of the uprising in Tenochtitlan, and the periloussituation of thy friends?"
"Not a word," replied Sandoval.
"Then were the messengers captured as we feared. Full a dozen were sentout, but in each case the altar of the great temple was shortly afterdrenched with human blood. Two were Spaniards, and the rest warriors ofmy own band. We were hemmed in on all sides, nearly all were wounded,and all were exhausted with fighting and constant alarms. Withoutsuccor we could hold out but a few days longer.
"At length, satisfied that no one of our messengers had escaped fromthe city, I sought, and obtained permission from the lord Tonatiah tomake the attempt. It was granted and I ventured forth. I could notescape by water, as the city is surrounded by an unbroken chain ofcanoes, and so was forced to seek the causeway of Iztapalapan. It wasnight, and being disguised, even as I now am, to resemble a tamane, Iset forth with strong hopes of escaping unnoticed. They were unfounded;for before I had gone a hundred paces from the gate I was consciousof being observed and followed. As far as the end of the causeway wasI allowed to go, but there I was waylaid and overcome by so strong aforce that even had I been armed, resistance would have been in vain.
"As I was being led toward the temple by my captors, who shouted forjoy that Huitzil would not lack for a victim that night, we were metby a priest, who called on them to halt until he could examine theirprisoner. A light was brought, that exhibited my features withoutrevealing his. He evidently recognized me, for he said, in a low toneand in the Mayan tongue: 'If thou canst escape the altar of Huitzil forthis, the third time, O son of Tlahuicol, then will the power of theblood-loving gods be broken forever. Go, and may the gods of thy Toltecancestors go with thee.' Then, with an angry voice he roundly abused mycaptors, saying to them that they had made a mistake, and arrested onewho was a patriot like themselves. While he thus held their attentionI slipped away, and now, the causeway being unguarded, I escaped acrossit, and have in three days' time made my way to this place."
"But why should an Aztec priest exert himself in thy behalf?" demandedSandoval.
"Because," answered Huetzin, "he was Tlalco the Toltec, of whom I havetold thee as aiding my first escape."
"Tlalco," mused the other; "was not that the name of a priest who wasever about Montezuma, and apparently exercised so great an influenceover him?"
"He is the same."
"Then he is the priest of all priests whom I am most anxious to meet.I have cause to believe that he can give me information concerning thelady of my heart, over whose loss I do so grieve that until I find heragain I am unfitted for a soldier."
"From what source gained you this idea?" queried Huetzin.
"I heard, not long since, from him who was a king's page. He is somekin to the Totonac cacique, and in return for a favor I rendered thelatter, he sent me word that my life's happiness was in the handsof Tlalco the priest. At first I could make nothing of so ambiguousa message, but after much consideration I think I have solved itsmeaning. Now, therefore, the dearest hope of my life, next to one, isto meet with this same Tlalco."
"Then!" exclaimed Huetzin, "as he is not to be met short ofTenochtitlan, let us hasten the meeting as much as we may, by reportingthe present state of affairs at once to my lord Malinche. It grieves meto think of the hunger and suffering, the weariness and despair of thycountrymen and my brave Tlascalans, whom I left penned in yonder citylike trapped eagles. Speaking of pages, I heard that in spite of thestrict watch maintained about our quarters a new one gained admittancein some way, and was taken into the king's service the very day Ileft. They said he was one of those handsome youths for whom the kingexpresses such a preference."
As Sandoval's
impatience to make a start for the Aztec capital wasequal to Huetzin's own, they proceeded to the quarters occupied byCortes, and in spite of the lateness of the hour, obtained an audience.To the commander the young Toltec gave a full and detailed account ofwhat had taken place in Tenochtitlan since his departure from thatcity. According to this Alvarado had been secretly informed that theAztec priests, taking advantage of his weakness, had planned hisdestruction, and the rescue of Montezuma, by a general uprising, whichwas to take place during the feast of the Incensing of Huitzil. As theday of the feast approached they asked that the king might be permittedto assist them in their ceremonies. This request was refused, andAlvarado, recalling the summary vengeance taken by his commander onthe Cholulans for planning his destruction, determined to adopt similarmeasures in the present case. He therefore caused the greater part ofthe force at his command to gather about the scene of festivities asthough out of curiosity. At a given signal these fell upon the priests,nobles, and others, engaged in the ceremonial dance, and slew them tothe number of six hundred.
At this the whole city rose in arms, drove the Spaniards to theirquarters, and, in spite of a devastating fire of artillery, madeassault after assault against the walls. Only at command of their king,whom Alvarado persuaded to appeal to them, did the assailants withdraw.Then they began a regular siege, burning the Spanish brigantines,throwing up works about their quarters, cutting off their supplies ofwater and provisions, and arresting all who attempted to pass eitherin to or out from them. "So desperate is their condition," concludedHuetzin, "that, unless my lord furnishes speedy relief, there is naughtbefore them save starvation or the altars of the Great Temple."
For answer, Cortes simply said, "The army marches at daylight, and dothou, Gonzalo, give instant orders, in my name, to that effect."