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…
were constantly assailed during the ninety-threedays which the siege of Mexico lasted, both
night and day, with allmanner of noises. In one quarter rose the deafening yells, piping, and
war-whoop of the enemy; here some were calling out to the canoes toattack the brigantines,
the bridges, and the causeways; there theMexicans drove their troops together with loud
yells to cut through the dykes, deepen the openings, drive in palisades, throw up
entrenchments, while others cried out for more lances and arrows; in another place the
Mexicans shouted to the women to bring more stones for theslings; between all which was
heard the dismal din of the hellish music of drums, shell trumpets, and particularly the
horrible and mournful sound of the huge drum of Huitzilopochtli; and this infernal
instrument, whose melancholy tone pierced to the very soul, neverceased a moment. Day
and night did all this din and noise continuewithout intermission; no one could hear what
another said; and somy comparison of the belfry is the most suitable I can imagine.
I will now add a few words about Quauhtemoctzin's outward appearance.This monarch was
between twenty-three and twenty-four years of age, and could in all truth be termed a
handsome man, bothas regards his countenance and his figure. His face was rather of an
elongated form, with a cheerful look; his eye had great expression, bothwhen he assumed
an air of majesty or when he looked pleasantly aroundhim; the colour of his face inclined
more to white than to the copper-browntint of the Indians in general. His wife was a niece
of his uncleMotecusuma; she was a young and very beautiful woman.
[Pg 111]
With regard to the dispute between Sandoval and Holguin as to which could claim the
honour of Quauhtemoctzin's capture, Cortes settled itfor the present by observing, that a
similar dispute once happened among the Romans between Marius and Lucius Cornelius
Sylla, whenthe latter took king Jugurtha prisoner, who had fled for safety to thehouse of
his father-in-law Bocchus. "When Sylla," said Cortes,"made his triumphal entry into Rome,
he led Jugurtha by a chain,among his trophies of victory. This Marius considered Sylla had
noright to do without asking his permission, he (Marius) being commander-in-chief,and
Sylla having merely acted upon his orders; but as Sylla belonged to the order of the
patricians, these declared in his favour, they being opposed to Marius, as a stranger of
Arpinum, and aman who had risen from the lowest ranks, though he had been seventimes
consul. From this circumstance arose those civil wars between Marius and Sylla; but the
question as to whom the honour of Jugurtha'scapture was due was never decided."
After relating this circumstance, Cortes added, that he would lay the matter before the
emperor for his imperial decision as to who couldclaim some memento of the monarch's
capture in his armorial bearings.They would therefore have to await a decision on this point
from Spain. This, indeed, arrived after the lapse of two years, by which Cortes was
permitted to place a series of kings in his escutcheon; as, for instance, Motecusuma and
Quauhtemoctzin, kings of Mexico, Cacamatzin of Tezcuco, the kings of Iztapalapan,
Cojohuacan, and Tlacupa, and anotherpowerful king, who was a relative of Motecusuma,
and lord of Matlaltzincoand of other provinces, and was said to have the best claim to the
throneof Mexico. I must now say something of the dead bodies and skulls whichwe saw in
that quarter of the town where Quauhtemoctzin had retreated.It is a real fact, and I can take
my oath on it, that the houses and the canals were completely filled with them, a sight
which I am unable todescribe; and we were scarcely able to move along the streets, and
through the courtyards of the Tlatelulco, on account of the number ofdead bodies. I have
certainly read of the destruction of Jerusalem, but should not like to decide whether the
carnage was equally great thereas it was here; but this I know, that most of the troops, as
well of thetown itself as those from the townships and provinces which stood underthe
dominion of Mexico, were most of them slain; that bodies lay strewedeverywhere, and the
stench was intolerable; which was the reason why,after the capture of Quauhtemoctzin, the
three divisions drew off totheir former stations. Cortes himself became indisposed that day,
fromthe horrible stench.
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