Battle of Otompan--Victory of the Spaniards--Cortes reaches Tlascala--Kindness of the Tlascalans--The soldiers of Narvaez murmur--Cortes receives unexpected reinforcements--The murmurers are sent home--He despatches messengers to Spain, Hispaniola, and Jamaica--Orders ship-timbers to be cut in the Tlascalan forests--Makes his head-quarters at Tezcuco--Death of Cuitlahuitzin--Guatimozin is made King of Mexico--Cortes attacks the cities Iztapalapan, Chalco, and Tlalmamalco--Sandoval reduces Zoltepec--The timbers for the brigantines are brought to Tezcuco--Xaltocan and Tacuba are reduced--Guatimozin refuses terms of peace--Quauhnahuac and Xochimilco are attacked--Narrow escape of Cortes--Conspiracy of Villafaña--Courage and address of Cortes--The brigantines are launched.....140 CHAPTER IX. The siege of Mexico is commenced--Dreadful massacre of the Spaniards on the causeways--Narrow escape of Cortes--Frightful festival of the Mexicans in the temple--Their cunning--Prudence of Cortes--The siege is renewed--Message to Guatimozin--His scornful answer--The Spaniards enter the capital--The last quarter is besieged--Guatimozin is made prisoner--The capital reduced--Disappointed avarice of the Spaniards--Guatimozin is put to the torture--Cortes snatches him from his tormentors--Death of the Mexican King--Conquest of the distant provinces--Enmity of the Bishop of Burgos toward Cortes--Rebuilding of the capital--Cortes liberates Narvaez.....157 CHAPTER X. Revolt in Panuco--Intrigues in Spain against Cortes--His friends support him--The King makes him Captain-General and Governor of New Spain--His great popularity--Arrival of Garay--Imprudence of his men--Slaughter of the Panuchese--The Bishop of Burgos and Narvaez continue their intrigues--Treachery and death of Christoval de Olid--March of Cortes to Honduras--The King issues a commission to investigate his conduct--Fidelity of the soldiers of Cortes--He embarks for Spain--Death of Sandoval--Reception of Cortes at the Spanish court--He returns to Mexico disappointed--Difficulties with the Audiencia--Embarks in new adventures--Discovery of California--Fails in his plans--Returns to Spain--Ingratitude of the King--Scornful treatment of the ministers--Death of Cortes--His remains are taken to Mexico.....174 THE ADVENTURES OF HERNAN CORTES. CHAPTER I. WHO has not heard of that daring and fiery Spaniard, Hernan Cortes, the Conqueror of Mexico? The story of his exploits is as wild as a fable, and were it not now a well-known part of the history of Mexico, could scarcely be believed. To those of my young fellow-citizens who may be ignorant of his career, I offer the history of this remarkable man.