The herald., 1895-05-12

houses large hotilla of canoes from
Mexico full of warriors. who imme 1ately
fell upon them and wounded many and
captured four, whom they carried off to
Mexico. And after Guatemoc had OBJ
| tanned from the four prisoners all the in.
formation desired regarding our numbers
ana the condition of our forces he sacri-
feed them and cut their bodies in pieces
ana sent the flesh to all the towns that
were in alliance with him, saying that
! TINS would show them that we were but
mortal men and that not one of those now
with Cortes would return alive to TeZcuco.
Next morning we removed our quarters
to large plaza outside the town and even
this was done with great difficulty because
OF the vast numbers of Mexicans who con.
tinually attacked us, and when we arrived
there. Cortes. seeing the great danger we
were in. proposed that we should abandon
our baggage, but to this we replied that
. ny the help OF God we were strong enough
to defend our lives and property and his
also and when he heard this he said.
Let it then be done as God wills it." n
He then arranged our order of march,
with the baggage and wounded in the
center, and with half the horse in front
and half in the rear. Having run out of
powder we could make no use of our fire
arms, and so we began our march. When
the Mexicans saw us withdrawing they
took it for granted that we were doing
was some truth in this. and they never
ceased attacking US for moment until
we arrived at place called Cuyocan.
which is about two leagues from Suchi-
milco at 10 O'Clock; we found the town
deserted. and as it was on level ground
and easily defended, we remained there
for the rest of the day. and the next NOM
ing very early we again took up our march
and the Mexicans again began the attack
and once when Cortes with tour of his
squlres and some others followed up
party of Mexicans they fell into an am
bush, and had they gone little farther
all of them would have perished. and as
it was they were all wounded. and two of
the squircs were captured and taken to
Guatemoc, who sacrificed them to his
idols.
When we arrived at Tacuba and Cortes
and those who were with him did not ar
rive we were alarmed. and Pedro de AL
varado and Cristobal ue Oil and Andres de
Tapa and some Others of us went back
to search for him, and when we came
near the place where he had separated
from the main body we met two of his
squires. who told us of what had happened,
and that Cortes and the rest of those who
had escaped were comm: along slowly.
because their horses were wounded.
While they were telling us Cortes him
self arrived, and he was almost weeping
because of the loss of his two squires.
The whole party then returned to Ia
cuba, where we rested about two hours
in some large patios. While we were resting
the Friar Melgareo and some others
climbed the great cu which commanded
a view of the whole lake and of the great
city of Mexico and all the surrounding
towns. and when the treasurer Alderete
and the friar saw those great cities and
the lake covered with canoes, some bring
ing provisions to the city and Others fish
ing and other multtudes who were var
riors they were astounded and said it was
nothing but the great mercy of God
which had enabled us to cope with such
great powers and when Cortes looked at
the great temple of Huitzipotchli and
thought of all our comrades who had been
sacrificed there and saw the causeways
over which we had fled the "noche triste''
lie was filled with sadness, and remem-
Der that certain soldier called the Ba-
chelor Alonzo Perez said to hlm: "Senor
Captain, let not your worship give way to
sadness, for in wars those things have to
occur and your worship will not be
blamed for this as was Nero for burning
Rome To which Cortes replied that he
was sad not alone for what was passed
but for the dangers an difficulties he
had yet to go through before we could
again obtain possession Of this great city,
but that with the blessing of God we
would Immediately prepare for the work.
but laCIDa was SO near MEXICO that 1T
was deemed best to recommence our
march lest the Mexicans should again
attack us and we passed through Esca-
puzalco and Tenayuca and cimped that
night in Guatitan and we found all those
towns deserted and all that day and night
it rained. and what with the weight of
our arms and wet clothes and our mail
we neariy died with fatigue and the pain
of our woInds, ana indeed that night it
would have been an easy thing to surprise
and destroy us, for there was no order in
our encampment. | was a sentinel and
| know the rounds never came where |
was and it was so throughout the whole
camp. The next day we marched to Acul-
man, which is subject to Tezcuco, and
when Gonzalo de Sandoval learned that
we had arrived there he and Don Herman
do, the lord of Tezcuco. came with MANY
others to receive and congratulate Cortes
on his safe return; and the day following
we arrived at Tezcuco.