It was, indeed, an immense undertaking that had been accomplished; for the whole of the wood and iron work, of thirteen ships, had to be carried for upwards of sixty miles, over a difficult and mountainous country.
A few days later, Cortez took half of his Spanish force and the whole of his allies, and started on an expedition to reconnoiter the capital, and to punish some of the towns which had returned insolent answers in reply to his summons.
The town of Xaltocan, standing on an island, was first attacked.
The dike leading to it was found to be cut through; and the Spaniards, for a time, suffered greatly.

They found a ford, however; reached the town, and put all who resisted to the sword.
Three other towns, which had been deserted by their inhabitants, were occupied and sacked.

They then marched against Tlacopan and, after a battle outside the town, occupied the suburbs.

Another hot fight was necessary before the town was fully taken.
Here the Spaniards halted for some days, fighting almost daily with the Aztecs.

In one encounter, Cortez allowed himself to be decoyed on to the great causeway, upon which he had before suffered such disaster.