The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-09-05


sunrise and one never to be forgotten, as
the light flashed from temples and palace
walls onto the feather garments and gay
banners, the points Of countless spears and
the ar1nor of the Spanisrds, who hurried
to and fro behind their battlements max
ing ready their defense.
AS soon as the sun was up q priest blew
q shrin note upon shell, which was an
swered by q trumpet call from the Spanish
quarters Then, with a shrek Of rage,
the thousands Of the Aztecs rushed to the
attack, and the afr grew clark with mis-
siles. Instantly q wavering line OF fire
and smoke, followed by asound as OF thun-
der, broke from. the walls Of the palace OF
AKA, and the charging warriors fell like
autumn leaves beneath the cannon and
arauebus balls Of the Christians.
For moment they wayered, and great
groan went up to heaven, but saw Qua
temocsspriHg fawarasSa haanersln his
hand, and forudafg 8up gaiNfhey rushed
after him. Now they were beneath the
wall Of the palace, and the assault began.
The Aztecs fought furionsly. Time upon
time they strove to climb the wall, piling
up the bodies Of the dead to servo them as
ladders, and time upon time they were re-
pulsed with cruel loss. Failing in this,
they set themselves to battering It down
with hea1y beams, but.when the breach
was made and they clustered ins 1T Ike
herded sheep the cannon opened fire on
them, tearing long lanes through their
mass and leaving them dead by scores
Then they took to the shooting Of flaming
arrows, and by this means fred the out
works, but the palace was of stone and
would not burn. Thus for 12 long hours
the struggle ragged increasingly till the
sudden fall of darkness put an end to it,
and the only sight to be seen was the flare
of countless torches carried by those who
sought out the dead, and the only sounds
to be heard were the voices OF women
lamemting and the groans Of the dying.
nthe morrow the fight broke out again
at dawn, when Coetes sailed forth with
the greater part of his.sofiiees and some
thousands ID, his Yaaeca1an allies. At first
I theught that be aimed his attack at
Montezumaispalaee, and aeheath Of hope
went through nae, since then, it might be
come possible for me to escape in the con-,
fusion. But This was not so, his object
being toe fire to the houses, from the
fat roots aWhich numbesless missiles
were haiiA hourly upon his followers.
The charaaMasdespesate, and it succeeded,
for the Mdians could not withstand the
shock oNS6cznnen any moBest than their
nakAfNens could turn theSpaniards
stee9 Presently scores Of houses were in
flames apd thick columnsof smoke rolled
up like those that float from the mouth OF
Popo. But many Of those who rode and
ran from the gates Of AKA did not come
back thither, for the Azte:s clung to the
legs of the hcrses and dragged their riders
away living.
That very day these captives were sacri-
feed on the altar Of Huitzel and in the
sight Of their comrades, and with them a
horse was offered up, which had been tax
en- aliYe, and was borne ana dragged wiz
infinite labor up the steep sides Of the pyr-
amid. Indeed never had the sacrifices been
80 many as during these days Of combat.
All day long the affairs ran red, and all
day long the cries Of the victims rang in
my ears as the maddened priests went
about their work, for thus they sought
to please the gods who should give them
victory over the Teules.
Even at night the sacrifices continued
by the light Of the sacred fires that frorl
below gave those who wrought them the
appearance Of devils fitting through the
flames Of hell and inf1icting its torments
on the damned, much as they are depicted
in the Doom painting Of the resurrec-
tion Of the dead that Is over the chancel
arch in this church Of buckingham. And
hour by hour through the darkness q voice
called out threats and warnings to the
Spaniards, saying: "Huitzel is hungry for
your blood, ye Teules Ye shall surely fol-
low where ye have seen your fellows go.
The cages are ready, the knives are sharp
and the irons are hot for the torture Pre-
pare ye, Teules, for though ye slay many
We cannot escape