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…
Cortes was excessively pleased with the promptness that Tapia had displayed, who,
however, had scarcely returned to head-quarters, when messengers arrived from
Quauhnahuac, praying for immediate assistance against these same tribes of Matlaltzinco
and Malinalco, who had fallenhostilely into their country.
Cortes, on receiving this intelligence, instantly ordered off Sandovalwith twenty cavalry,
eighty of his most nimble foot soldiers, and aconsiderable body of allies to their assistance.
God only knows howperilous the situation of the three divisions became by the expedition
against these warlike tribes, as most of our troops were suffering fromsevere wounds and
lacked all manner of refreshments! Much indeed might be said in praise of the victories
which Sandoval gained over the enemy, but I will not detain my reader with them, but
merelystate that he speedily returned to his division. He brought inprisoners with him, two
of the most distinguished personages ofMatlaltzinco, and restored peace to the country. We
certainly derivedgreat advantages from this expedition; our allies were protectedfrom any
further attacks, a new and dangerous foe was put down, andit proved to Quauhtemoctzin
that the power of his allies in the provinces was very feeble; for the Mexicans had
triumphantly cried outto us in the last battles, that the warriors of Matlaltzinco, and of other
provinces, would march against us; and then, as their gods had promisedthem, we should
all be destroyed.
[Pg 101]
After the successful termination of this expedition Cortes againoffered terms of peace to
Quauhtemoctzin, in the same way as on theformer occasion, and told him that the emperor,
our master, againoffered him terms of peace, that the city might not be totally destroyed,
which was the only reason we had staid hostilities for the lastfive days. He ought to reflect
that he had scarcely any provisions and water left for his troops and the unfortunate
inhabitants, and that two thirds of the city lay in ruins. He might convince himself by
questioning the two chiefs of Matlaltzinco, whom he expressly sent tohim on this occasion,
what he had to expect from their country in theshape of assistance. To this message, which
Cortes accompanied by offers of sincere friendship, Quauhtemoctzin would not deign an
answer, but ordered the two chiefs of Matlaltzinco to leave the city and return to their
homes. Immediately after this our three divisions were, if possible, attacked with greater
fury than on any previousoccasion; and whatever numbers of these infuriated beings we
mightkill, they were not to be deterred, and it seemed as if they only soughtdeath. Under
the cry of, "Tenitoz rey Castilla? Tenitoz Axaca?"which in their language means: What will
the king of Spain say tothis? What will he now say? They showered forth upon us volumes
of lances, arrows, and stones, so that the whole causeway was completely covered with
them. However courageously the Mexicansmight defend themselves, we nevertheless each
day made new inroads upon the city. Their numbers had greatly decreased, nor did they
make any fresh openings in the causeway; though they never failed to harass us every
evening when we marched back to our encampment.
[Pg 102]
By this time there was not a grain of powder left among the three divisions, when
fortunately a vessel ran into Vera Cruz which hadbecome separated from an armament that
had been fitted out bya certain licentiate, named Lucas Vasquez de Aillon, but which had
been shipwrecked on the islands off Florida. This vessel had on boarda number of soldiers,
with a good store of powder, crossbows andother matters, of which we stood in need. All
this was immediately forwarded to us by Rodrigo Rangel, who kept Narvaez in close
custodyat Vera Cruz.
Cortes now carried on the siege with more determination, and issuedorders for the three
divisions to advance as far as possible into thecity, and even to make an attempt to force the
Tlatelulco, on whichstood the chief temples of Mexico.
Cortes, with his division, soon fought his way up to another square where some smaller
temples stood, in which were suspended frombeams the heads of several of my companions
in arms who had beenslain in the different engagements. The hair of these heads andbeards
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