The herald., 1895-05-12


saw the bleeding heads and heard the en-
envy say that they had killed Cortes and
Sandoyal for we knew nothing OF what
had occurred to the other divisions. Of
the brgantines, they had already boarded
one and killed three of the soldiers and
wounded the Captain and all of the rest
of the crew. and would have - -ptured
it but Tor the timely aid of Captain Juan
Naramillo, who went to its aid with an
other one, AMI another brigantine under
Captain Juan de Limpas had become en-
tangled in the stakes placed in the lake
by the MeXicans. in which position he was
attacked by great fleet of canoes and
was like to haze been captured but that
he attached ropes to the stakes and tore
them up and so escaped. but not until he
and all his crew had been wounded.
/ We will now return to Cortes, whom we
left in his camp having lost most of his
men, and himself and the remainder be-
ing badly wounded. and while his men
were defending the camp the Mexicans
threw in front of him four heads saying
they were those of Pedro de Alvarado and
Gonzalo de Sandova and other Teules
whom they had slain, and that all the
others were dead also; and it is said that
this news made Cortes suffer more than
his wounds. but he ordered Cristobal dc
Oil, his Maestro de Campo to close up
his ranks. and ordered Andres de Tapia
to take three horsemen and go to the
camp of Alvarado and tell him of what
had occurred and see how it Jared with
him. Tapia and his companions arrived
safely in our camp. although they had
been attacked several times on the road
by warriors placed there by Gpatemoc
the two camps. They disguised the magni-
Jude of the disaster to Cortes. saying that
he had only lost twenty five men and that
all the others were well.
In the meantime the division led by
Gonzalo de Sandoval pushed on victori-
ousy from their camp in Tepeaquilla,
but when the Mexicans had defeated Cor
tes they sent most of the forces that had
been engaged against that Captain to as
sist in repelling the attack OF Sandoval.
and indeed they now turned on him with
such fury that he feared that he would be
overwhelmed. and as they mad exhibited
heads to Alvarado and Cortes, so they
now did to Sandovah saying that they
were Mainche and the Tonatin and the
other Captains.
He now gave Captain Luis Marin COM
mand, and taking some horsemen he
started around the lake for the camp of
Cortes, where he arrived safely although
he was frequently attacked by the Indi-
ans placed on this side as well as on the
other by Guatemoc to prevent commune
cation between the camps. When he saw
Cortes he exclaimed: 'Oh, Senor Cap
tain, how has this occurred? are these the
wise counsels you have always given us?
How has this disaster happened?' to
which Cortes replied, the tears meanwhile
running from his eyes: 'Oh. Son San
doval, God has permitted me to be pun
ished for my sins, although | am not so
| much TO blame as it appears, but it is
more the fault of the Treasurer Julian de
Alderete, whom | placed in charge of that
bad place in the causeway with orders to
fill it III, but as he is neither accustomed
to war nor to be commanded. he neglected
to do so." But the treasurer, who was
standing by, denied this and said that
when Cortes saw the enemy flying, think
ing that he had the victory, he cried out
Forward, gentlemen, -" and had given no
orders to fill in any breach. There now
! arrived two brigantnes which had been
supposed to be lost, and the Captains re-
! ported that they had become entangled
among the stakes and surrounded by
| great fleet of canoes. which had attacked
| them and wounded the crews of both,
but that finally through the mercy of God.
| and the assistanc of a strong wind and
the exertions of the rowers. they escaped.
| Cortes then ordered Sandoval to proceed
to our camp, as he had as yet heard moth
| ing OF Andres de Tapia and feared that
he had been killed or captured by the
enemy, and saying to him: "You see.
Son Sandoval, that | am lame and badly
wounded, and you must look after all
three camps; | well know that Alvarado
]
alters. but dread what may have hap
pened from the great powers OF these
| dogs. Sandoval and Francisco de IIugo
then took horse and arrived at our camp
about vespers, and when he arrived there
we were still fighting. or the MeXic cans
| were trying to force an entrance into our
camp and one of our brigantnes was
grounded and myself and other soldiers
| were IN the water up to our waists trying
to push it off, and we, being almost sur
rounded by great fleet of canoes. which
| poured on us a continual shower of ar
rows and stones. and some even tried to
drag us into the canoes, and failing tried
| to stab us with the swords they had taken
from Cortes, and when Sandoval saw this
he cried out to us: "Oh. brothers, make
a great effort and do not let them capture
the brigantne, " and then with one great
effort we pushed it into deep water In
the meantime fresh squadrons had arrived
and renewed the attack with greater fury
than before, and Sandoval was struck in
the face with stone and almost disabled.
but Pedro de Alvarado and other horse
men rushed to his assistance as the In
dians were seizing him. and Sandoyal.
seeing that myself and a party had
charged the Indians to force them back
ordered us to retreat, and as we were
10th to retire since we were making head
against them, he exclaimed, For the love
of God, gentlemen, retire to your camn
are protecting your rear will all be slain"
And, indeed. even as he spoke he received
another wound, and then we retreated
slowly to our camp. After we had put our
selves out of reach of the missiles OF the
enemy, and while Sandoval and Lugo and
AlvNado all were discussing the events
of the day, we again heard the sound of
the great drum of Huitzlipotzli. and as
we looked toward the great Gu we saw
them driving up its steps some of our
poor comrades whom they had captured
that day, and when they reached its top
we saw them decorate them with flowers
and with blows caused them to dance be-
fore that damnable idol, and then they
seized them and placed them on their
backs on the great stone of sacrifice. the
priests cut their breasts open, and tear
ing out the quivering heart, offered it as
a sacrifice to the war god. They then
threw the bodies Gown the sides of the Gu
to the patios, where Indian butchers
were awaiting to cut off the legs and arms
| and heads. The trunks were fei to the
serpents and animals in the royal gar
dens, and the slins of the heads were
carefully taken off and tanned, while the
arms and legs were eaten, the heart and
blood having been offered to the idols
And as we watched this horrible scene,
for we could see it very plainly as it was
only short distance from our camp we
all prayed to God for their souls and
swore to avense them, thanking the good
InIua ,l,, 4, Il L -