Before his departure, however, he despatched the few discontented men from his camp and gave them a vessel with which they might regain their homes. He wrote an account of his adventures, moreover, to his government in Spain, and besought his sovereign to confirm his authority in the lands and over the people he might add to the Spanish crown. He addressed, also, the Royal Audiencia at St. Domingo to interest its members in his cause, and when he despatched four vessels from Vera Cruz for additional military supplies, he freighted them with specimens of gold and Indian fabrics to inflame the cupidity of new adventurers. In Tlascala, he settled the question of succession in the government; constructed new arms and caused old ones to be repaired; made powder with sulphur obtained from the volcano of Popocatopetl; and, under the direction of his builder, Lopez, prepared the timber for brigantines, which he designed to carry, in pieces, and launch on the lake at the town of Tezcoco. At that port, he resolved to prepare himself fully for the final attack, and, this time, he determined to assault the enemy's capital by water, as well as by land. [Footnote 6: We have no accurate estimate of the numbers engaged in this battle, or of the slain.] CHAPTER VII. 1520-1521. DEATH OF CUITLAHUA--HE IS SUCCEEDED BY GUATEMOZIN.--AZTECS LEARN THE PROPOSED RECONQUEST--CORTÉZ's FORCES FOR THIS ENTERPRISE.--CORTÉZ AT TEZCOCO--HIS PLANS AND ACTS.--MILITARY EXPEDITIONS OF CORTÉZ IN THE VALLEY.--OPERATIONS AT CHALCO AND CUERNAVACA.--XOCHIMILCO--RETURN TO TACUBA.--CORTÉZ RETURNS TO TEZCOCO AND IS REINFORCED. After a short and brilliant reign of four months, Cuitlahua, the successor of Montezuma, died of small pox, which, at that period, raged throughout Mexico, and he was succeeded by Guauhtemotzin, or, Guatemozin, the nephew of the two last Emperors. This sovereign ascended the Aztec throne in his twenty-fifth year, yet he seems to have been experienced as a soldier and firm as a patriot.