Mayapan and the slaughter of the ruler and all his sons except one, who was at the time absent in the Uloa valley. The survivor on his return collected the remnants of the Cocomes and settled at Sotuta, the Xiu faction retiring to Mani. The Mexican mercenaries, who no doubt formed too formidable a section to be attacked directly, were allowed to form a settlement at Ahcanul, north-east of Campeche. Itzamal however survived; a noble of high rank, Ahchel, who had married the daughter of a high-priest of Mayapan, took up his residence at Tikoch near the coast, with his numerous sons. The family increased in numbers and importance, and later constituted a ruling house, known as the Chel, with its capital at Itzamal. Subsequent history relates various struggles between the Xiu, Cocomes and Chel, the Cocomes preventing the Chel from obtaining game and cereals from the interior, and the Chel refusing salt and fish to the Cocomes. But in spite of this the population at large was prosperous, and increased in numbers, until a severe hurricane wrought much damage throughout the land, chiefly by causing the thatched roofs of the houses to catch fire. This disaster was followed by a plague, and then a series of sanguinary wars, after which smallpox appeared. Finally the Xiu, wishing to perform certain ceremonies at their old home, Chichen Itza, asked for a passage through the territory of the Cocomes. This was granted, but the party was enticed into a building which was set on fire and the inmates were massacred. Meanwhile the Spaniards had appeared in the country, and native history had reached its close.