. American history:. ith extraordinary daring,formed and executedi> the plan of seizing the person ofthe Mexican monarch, and detained him as a hostage forthe good conduct of his people. He next induced him,overawed and broken in spirit, to acknowledge himself avassal of the Spanish crown, and to subject his dominionsto the payment of an annual tribute. 9. *But while Cortez was absent, opposing a force thathad been sent against him by the governor of Cuba, whohad become jealous of his successes, the Mexicans, in-cited by the cruelties of the Spaniards who had been leftto guard the capital a
. American history:. ith extraordinary daring,formed and executedi> the plan of seizing the person ofthe Mexican monarch, and detained him as a hostage forthe good conduct of his people. He next induced him,overawed and broken in spirit, to acknowledge himself avassal of the Spanish crown, and to subject his dominionsto the payment of an annual tribute. 9. *But while Cortez was absent, opposing a force thathad been sent against him by the governor of Cuba, whohad become jealous of his successes, the Mexicans, in-cited by the cruelties of the Spaniards who had been leftto guard the capital and the Mexican king, flew to arms.^Cortez, with singular good fortune, having subdued hisenemies, and incorporated most of them with his ownforces, returning, entered* the capital without molesta-tion. 10 ^Relying too much on his increased strength, hesoon laid aside the mask of moderation which had hithertoconcealed his designs, and treated the Mexicans like con-quered subjects. They, finally convinced that they had. * The city of Mexico, built by the Spsuniards on the ruins oftlie ancient city, was lonfr the largest town in America, but isnow inferior to New Yorli and Philadelphia. It is 170 milesfrom the Gulf of Mexico, and 200 from the Pacific Ocean, andis sihiated near the western banlc of Lake Tezcuco, in the de-lightful Vale of Mexico, or, as it was formerly called, the Plainof Tenochtitlan, which is 230 miles in circumference, and elevated7000 feet above the level of the ocean. The plain contains tlireelakes besides Tezcuco, and is surrounded by hills of moderateelevation, except on the south, where are two lofty volcanicmountains. Two of the lakes are above the level of the city,whose streets have been frequently inundated by them ; but in1689 , a deep channel, 12 miles long, cut through the hiUs on thenorth, was completed, by which the superfluous waters are con-veyed into the river Tula, and thence to the Panuco. Part I-I CONQUEST OF MEXICO. 117 nothing to hope biit
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