Cruz (then commanding in Guadalajara) to dislodge them. They were well provided with canoes, and made frequent incursions from their stronghold into the surrounding country, cutting off isolated detachments of the royal troops, and returning loaded with provisions to the lake, before a force could be assembled to attack them. Nor was their reduction effected until 1814, when a number of gun-boats having been built at Tlachichilco, all communication with the shore was cut off; and after repulsing several assaults, they were compelled by famine to capitulate.
We embarked on board one of these gun-boats, which is still in good preservation at the camp, after breakfasting with the wife of the Commandant (La Señora Rodriguez) upon the Pescado Blanco, for which Chăpālă is celebrated. This fish is found in most parts of the Table-land, but it does not attain so large a size in the lakes about the Capital, as in those of Pāscuărŏ and Chăpālă, from whence, upon great occasions, it is sent express to Mexico, slightly sprinkled with salt, or preserved in snow. I was glad to be able to furnish Madame Rodriguez in return, with a quantity of the water-fowl, which abound upon the edges of the lake, but are seldom tasted by the natives, as they have no guns that will kill a duck at fifty yards from the shore.
We sent our horses to San Pedro, an Indian village three leagues from Tlăchĭchīlcŏ, and proceeded there ourselves by water, stretching half across the
