The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

1/25/22, 8:50 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a true an…
name.) The inhabitantsof this place had likewise fled. We next came to Quauhtitlan, and the
rain came down in torrents during the whole of the day, so that wecould scarcely drag one
foot after the other, from the weight of ourarms and of our clothes, which were completely
drenched with water.
It was perfectly dark when we entered this township, which was also deserted by its
inhabitants. The rain came down in torrents duringthe whole night, which created a great
deal of mire and dirt. The inhabitantsand Mexicans, who had fled to places where we could
not get at them, kept hooting at us from the evening until next morning, without
intermission. Owing to the extreme darkness of the night, and the heavy rain which was
falling, we neither posted sentinels nor madeany rounds; there was nothing but disorder to
be seen in our camp,and no one remained at his post. I can speak from experience, forthe
first watch had been assigned to me; but no officer came to makethe rounds, or see that all
was right.
[Pg 53]
The next day we marched to a large township, whose name I haveforgotten. The streets
were covered with mud, and not an inhabitantwas to be seen. On the following morning we
arrived at Aculman, which is subject to Tezcuco; and the inhabitants of this place being
apprized of our approach, came out to meet us. They were accompanied by several
Spaniards, who had arrived from Spain during our absence.Besides these, Sandoval, with
the troops under his command,and Don Fernando, king of Tezcuco, had likewise come out
to welcomeus. Every one was overjoyed at our return, but particularly the inhabitantsof the
surrounding neighbourhood, who brought us quantitiesof provisions.
Sandoval returned this same day to Tezcuco, fearing the enemy mightmake an attack on
this town in the night time. The following morningCortes also left, for this place, where we
arrived quite fatigued, andcovered with wounds; besides that, we had to mourn the loss of
many of our brave companions in arms, whom the Mexicans had carried off alive, and
sacrificed to their idols. I must now inform the reader whata perilous posture affairs had
assumed at Tezcuco.
CHAPTER CXLVI.
How we discover, on our return to Tezcuco, that a conspiracy had beenset on
foot by the men of Narvaez's troops to murder Cortes, and allwho were of his
party; of the author of this conspiracy, his punishment;and of other matters.
During our absence a conspiracy had been set on foot by a most intimate friend of the
governor of Cuba, named Antonio de Villafaña, a native either of Zamora or Toro, in
conjunction with others of Narvaez'stroops, whose names, for honour's sake, I will refrain
from mentioning here. The object of this conspiracy was to murder Cortes on his return,
which was to be done in the following manner.
The conspirators designed handing over a letter to Cortes while hesat at dinner with his
officers and other soldiers, which was to be securely fastened and sealed, purporting to
come from his father, witha vessel that had just arrived from Spain. While he was occupied
inthe perusal of this letter, he and the whole of the officers and soldierswho sat at table
with him, and offered any resistance, were to bepoignarded to death.
[Pg 54]
All this being settled, it pleased the Almighty that the conspiratorsshould also let two other
distinguished officers into the secret, whosenames, however, I must likewise repress. Both
these officers had accompanied us on our recent expedition around the lake, and one of
these officers, after Cortes should have been killed, was to be appointed one of the new
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