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PART TWO CHRONICLES OF THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO Being the Diary OF BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO Translated Literally by JOHN T. OAFFEY Copyright. All Rights Reserved,* CHAPTER LI I Of (he Expedition Against Iztapalapa, and How We Were Surprised In 'Me Night and Nearly Drowned by the Mexicans Cutting the Aqueducts and Canals HEX AS WJfi HAD been twelve days in Tez cueo, and there were so many of us, including the Tlascalans. that the latter could not supply us all with provisions enough, ami seeing that the Tlascalans were eager for warfare, Cortes determined upon an other expedition at once. Accompanied by Cristobal de Oli and Pedro do Alvarado and 2'JO crossbowmen and six arquebus iers and our friends of Tlascala, besides twenty of the principal men of Tezcueo, Cortes took the road for Itapalapa, which was about four leagues from Tezcueo, The Mexicans on seeing our object, sent 8000 warriors to assist the Iztapalapans against us and like good warriors they awaited us on •firm, ground and for a short time fought valiantly. But wo soon broke them witli our horse and crossbowmen and our arquebuses, and when they were once broken our Tlascalans charged them like mad dogs, so that presently they fiea into the town and took to their canoes anil hid in those houses which were built in the water where we could not fallow them. That night we camped on solid ground, taking possession of that part of the town which was not built on the water. The nii> lit was very dark and after placing our spies and guards we betook us to rest, well content with our victory and the spoils we had obtained. But during tlic night, when we were not expecting it, they broke some aqueducts and canals, and turned the water in on us so that bad it not been for some Tezetica.is who discovered it immediately, we would have been all drowned. And as it was we lust two Tlascalans and all our powder nnd baggage. The balance of the night | we passed miserably, as it was very cold; : but worst of all was to hear the jeers and yells ot the peoplo of Iztapalapa and their [ Mexfctrii allies from their houses and ca noes while we sat shivering on dry land. Another and worse thing which we found out, that in addition to the plan the Mexicans had arranged to drown us, they hnd sent out many squadrons of war riors both by land anil in canoes, and in the morning all of these came upon us and attacked us so furiously that we could scarcely sustain it, and came very near being overwhelmed by them. As it wus, by sheer stubborn fighting, we little by little beat them oft and returned to Tez cueo, wearied, wounded and disgusted at the manner they had entrapped us. And although they laughed at aud jeered us. it took them some time to cure their wounds [ and bury their dead. We lost but two men in "this expedition and one hotse, but a great number of our Tlascalan war riors were wounded. CHAPTER Llll Of the Comiug of Three Neighboring Towns to Ask for Peace, and of the Expedition of (ionzalu de Sandoval to Succor Chalco and Talmanalco, Which Had Been At tacked by tbe Mexicans Three days after our return from Izta pala there came to Cortes three of the neighboring towns to ask for peace and purJon for the past wars .thoy had made upon ifsV and for the murder of some (Spaniards. The excuse was that it had been so ordered by the King who bad succeeded Montezuma, and that as his vassals they had to comply, and that the Spaniards whom they had captured had been taken to Mexico anil sacriliccd, and that the horses und arms had also been taken there. Cortes, after severely repri- manding them and telling them that there after they niuat make no alliance with the Mexicans, but must remain loyal vas sals of his majesty the King,granted them pardon. At this time there came a 1.,0 to ask for peace the people of the town Mizquique, which we called Venezuela, and which was also built in the lagoon, and it ap pears that these people had never been friendly with the Mexicans, and we were all glad when they came to make an al liance with us. because through them we expected lo also bring in their neighbors to our alliance. Cortes received them well and they went away contented. There now came information that strong squadrons of Mexicans had been sent to ravage the towns of Guatinchan and Htta xatlan and two other towns tnat were our allies also. And they said that they did not dare to await them in their houses, and that unless we went to their assist ance they would either have to Hce to the mountains or come to Tezcueo. where we were. Such being the case Cortes took two hundred soldiers and some horse and crossbowmcn and arquebusiers and went, to their assistance. We found that indeed the Mexicans had threatened them, but that the real cause of the quarrel was, tbat near those four towns there was a large tract of land which the people of the four towns were required to sow in maize for the use of the temples of Mexico, and as the corn was now ripe the Mexicans wanted to gather it, but tho people of the four towns and of Tezcueo were supplying our camp with provisions from the same fields of maize, and there had already been many fights over this and many Indians had been killed. When Cortes understood how things were he told tlieui that he would send them a Captain and some horsemen to protect them while they were gathering the corn, and with this they were content and we re turned to our camp. And thereafter whenever we needed corn we sent a great number of tamones from the neighboring towns and a strong force of soldiers and Tlascalans and ob tained what we wanted. I say this be cause 1 went there twice, and once we had a pretty fight with with great squad rons of Mexicans who were hidden there and who had come in over one thousand canoes, and fought stubbornly, but we finally defeated them after losing one soldier and having twelve wounded. Our Tlascalan allies also suffered heavily, but the Mexicans did not go away rejoic ing, as they lost fifteen killed and about twenty-five whom we captured. At this time the people of Chalco and 'Talraanalco sent to Cortes saying that they wished for peace and to be admitted to our alliance because of the ill-treat ment which they were receiving from the Mexican garrisons stationed in their towns. We all felt anxious now for the the timbers of which were still in Tlascala, and besides our allies in the lagoon towns sent daily to complain ol the depredations of the Mexicans, which we could not prevent until we had our brigantines afloat. And our Tlascalans nlso, who had salt and spoils of different kinds which they wished to send to Tlascala. did not dare to do so because the road win unsafe. Cortes, seeing how things were, and that he was merely sitting in Tezcueo with his beaid hanging on his breast, ever on the alert and accomplishing little, now determined that it was necessary to drive the Mexicans out of Chalco and Tal manalco, in order to open and protect the road from Tuzcuco to Tlascala, and sent Francisco de Lugo and (lonzalo do San doval, with 200 foot and fifteen horse and some crossbowmen and arquebusiers and our Tlascalans, with orders to drive the Mexicans out of Chalco and Talmaialco at all hazards. He then, through some Tezcucans, sent word to the people A FORTIFIED PENOL of Cnalco of bis intention, in order that they might be ready t j co-operatj with the /force he was sending, and as those of ; Chalco were expecting this, they were all ready, fionzulu de Sandoval placed In his rearguard on his march the Tlasca lans, who were loaded witb spoils, and live horsemen and some anjuebiisiers. The Mexicans already knew of his march, and apart from the force they had in Chalco they had another large squadron watch THE HERALD LOS ANGELES: SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 5, 1895.—-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES ing the movements of Sandoval. And this force, seeine the arrangements San doval made of his forces, pounced sud denly on the Tlascalans in the rear and treated them roughly, killing several of the arquebusiers and wounding the re mainder, and although Sandoval turned on them quickly with his other forces they escaped in their boats, leaving seven dead on the field When Gonzalo de San doval saw what had happened he was an gry, and he told those who had been left to protect the rear that they had made a poor fight, and it seemed that not alone were they unable to protect our friends, tbe Tlascalans. but that they could not even protect their own lives, and that it was easy to see that they knew nothing about war. And in truth they were of those who had come recently from Castile. He placed those, of the Tlascalans who carried burdens where they would be safe from attack, and then he dispatched the letters which Cortes had written to Villa Rica, telling them of our conquests and warning them to keep good watch, and that if there were any soldiers there ca pable of bearing arms to send them to Tlascala, but to come no further until the road was more secure. Having dispatched the messenger. Sandoval again took the road for Chalco, which was near ny, anil as he approached the town great squad rons of Mexicans came out to meet him on a plain where there were fields of maize and maguey, from which they make a liquor which they drink. The squadrons immediately attacked Sandoval with arrows and slings and long lances with which they attacked the horse. But although they fought well, with one or two charges of the horse he broke their ranks, and then, charging witb his foot and al lies he completely defeated them. In the first attack they" wounded live soldiers and six horses, but Sandoval made them pay dearly for this, killing and wounding a great many of them. When the people of Chalco saw how things had gone they came out to receive him and paid him great honor, and made feasts. In this battle Sandoval captured eight Mexicans, three of thctn being Cap tains. The next day he told the Chalcans he was about to" return to Tezcueo and they said they wished to send some of their principal men to see Malinche and that the lord of that province had but lately died of smallpox, and that before ho died he commanded them to take his two sons to Cortes in order that he might recog nize them as lords of Chalco. and that they all desired to be subjects of the great King of the Tcules, as their ancestors had handed down a tradition that men would come from where the sun rose who should rule over them. From what they had seen they were sat isfied, they said, that we were the men spoken of by their ancestors. Sandoval then returned with his whole force to Tezcueo. taking with him the sons of the late lord of Chalco. and other principal men and the eight Mexican prisoners. When he arrived in Tezcueo he imme diately took the Chalcans and his Mex ican prisoners to the quarters of Cortes, and the men of Chalco. after the usual courtesies had been exchanged, told Cortes of the good will they had toward him, and of their desire to become vas sals of his majesty, and of the wiiih of their late lord relative to iiis sons, and they presented Cortes with jewels worth about two hundred dollars. When Cortes heard this he gave by his hand the lord ship to the eldest brother, with more than half of the subject towns, and to the younger brother he gave Talmanalco and Chimalocan with Ayocingo und some other towns. After some further talk the Chalcans said that now they desired to return home, and that in every possible way thoy would endeavor to serve the representa tives of his majesty. And Cortes told them to wait two days as he was about to send a Captain with soldiers to Tlascala for the timbers of the brigantines, aud that the force would escort them to their province. Cortes at this time sent the eight pris oners taken by Sandoval to Mexico to tell the King Guateraoc that If he would make peace with us he would pardon all the harm the Mexicans had already done to us. and that it was easy to commence the war, but that the end "of all wars was ruin to some one, and that this one could only end in the destruction of his city: and that we welt knew of all the warlike stoics lie was laying in, but that ho was only wasting time and working in vain, and that the result would be the destruc tion of his people and of his city. And ho asked him to consider the great power of the God we adored and who always aided us, and also to consider that all his neighbors were now allied with us against him and that us for the Tlascalans they desired nothing better than the destruction of the Mexicans in order to he revenged for the great injur ies-they had done them in tne past, and to think of ali these things and make peace, and that he would confer honors on him. The prisoners carried the messaege to Guatemae, but he paid no attention to it and went on with his preparations for war. sending out to all his provinces, telling them that whenever they captured any of us they should send us to Mexico to be sacrifice! and to be ready to come in arms whenever he called "them and he forgave them tributes and made them great promises. The people of Guatinchan again came to Cortes complaining that the Mexicans ! rA ..I-;., ~ ih*»wi and thn+ thr-v h*"' 1 VVUIO Ulll.i.Ulilj, 111. 1,, U1.L.1 l,l>-j taken some of their people prisoners and curried them off to Mexico, and they said that the Mexicans were accustomed to come about twice a week to the tields oi maize, of which 1 have already spoken. AniT Cortes ordered spies to be placed near the fields, as they were only about two leagues from Tezcueo. And one Wednesday morning, when he was ad vised that the Mexicans were there, he fell on them suddenly with about one hundred soldiers, and handled them roughly, wounding many and killing four and taking three prisonres. And there after the Mexicans did not attack the people of those towns. CHAPTER LIV Of How Gonzalo de Sandoval Went to Tlas cala for the Timbers of the Brigantines, ■nd What He Did In a Town Which We Called El Pueblo Morisco Cortes now sent Gonzalo de Sandoval with-a body of 200 foot and twenty cross bowmen and fifteen horse and some Tlas calans and twenty of the principal men of Tezcuco.and before he started, he made a treaty between the Tlascalans and the Chalcans, because whenever the Mexicans made war on Tlascala they always took with them the people of Chalco. who were subject to them, so that there was always bad blood between the Chalcans and Tlas calans. But Cortes now made them friends, so that thereafter they always maintained friendly relations. He also ordered Gonzalo de Sandoval that when bo had escorted the Chalcans to their town he should goto another place which was nearer, wh.ch we called "El Pueolo Morisco," and which was subject to Tez cueo, because the Tezcucans said that in that town there had been killed over for ty of the soldiers of Narvaez and even some of our own, and we learned that the attack had been made in a narrow pass in the mountains, where only one man could pass at a time, and that the Tzecu cans ban taken their prisoners to their city, where t ey divided them with the Mexicans, but they said that whatever pift they took in tho affair was because they were ordered to and could do, noth' Ing'else, and that they did it to revenge their lord Cacamatzin, who had been taken prisoner by Cortes and was after ward killed on the Calzadas the night we lied from Mexico. Sandoval found, how- AN AZTEC PICTURE OF A BATTLE WITH THE SPANIARDS ever that the inhabitants of tne town, notwithstanding their account of the af fair, had covered the walls of their tem ple with the blood of the slain Spaniards, a nd he found also the skins of two Span ish laoes which they had dried and made an offering of to their idols. And he also found the hides of four horses tanned with the hair on, and even their shoes still on their hoofs, and these also were hung up in the temple as an offering to their idols. And there were many other things belonging to the Span iards hung up in the temple, and ou a marble slab they found written by one of the Spaniards : ''Here the unfortunate Juan Yuste was prisoner with many oth ! ers who came in my company." This Juan Yuste was an hidalgo, one of the persons of quality who came with Nar vaez. Sandoval and his soldiers felt very sad when t icy saw these things, but what could they do" but treat with pity the peo ple of the town, particularly as they had nearly all tied to the mountains? Sando val, seeing how things were, set free the prisoners he had taken and told them to go and bring back those who had lied. And when they came they begged that they should be forgiven and that there alter they would be loyal vassals to His Majesty and would aid us against the Mexicans. When they were asked for the gold they had stolen thoy replied that the Mexicans and Tezcucans had carried it away, saying that it had belonged to Mon tezuma. Sandovil now went to Tlascala, and near the chief town he met a cavalcade that was bringing the material for the brigantines to Tezcueo. There were over eight thousand Indians employed in car rying it and as many«more came as a guard, and two thousand more who car ried provisions. And there came as Cap tains of the Tlascalans, .Chinchimectecle ami Tctilepilc and Teutical. and Martin Lopez came with them. And Sandoval was glad when he saw them, for be had feared that he would have been detained sonic days in Tlascala arranging the man ner of transporting the materials; and after two days' march, when they entered the territory of Mexico, the Tlascalans asked Sandoval to change the arrange ment of hf< forces as they were now lia ble to be attacked at any" moment by the great forces of Mexico. Such attacks they feared, because, loaded as they were, they could not. de fend themselves. He then divided the hors? and crossbows and arquebusiers, placing some in front and some on each side, and he ordered Chichimecatecle to guard the rear with his Tlascalans,where at this chief was much offended, as he deeimed it a reflection ou his courage, but was contented wlien he found that Gonzalo de Sandoval was also going with the rear guard. And Sandoval told him that be placed him there in the post of danger, because the Mexicans always attacked the rear, where the baggage was, and he then embraced Sandoval and thanked him fur the honor he had done him. and twu days after the whole party arrived safely lrJfTezcuco. Tbey entered the town with bay tiers Hying, drums beating and cor- 1 nets playing, while the air was rent with shouts of "Long live our lord the Em peror," "Castile, Castile." and "Tlascala. Tlascala." Cortes and the other Captains «,n;,i out to receive them and so !ou" was the line of march that it was half a day before the last man entered Tezcueo. As soon as the material fcr»thc brigan tines was placed where they were to be built, it did not take long to put them to gether, so that iv a short time nothing remained but to calk them, and we had to keep good watcn for the Mexicans, for through some prisoners we learner! that it was the determination of Guatimoc to then destroy us all or die fighting in de- OUATEnOC, THE LAST AZTEC EIPEROR OF MEXICO fense of his kingdom, but that on no ac count would he make peace with us. CHAPTER LV Of How Cortes Went on an Expedition to the Town of Saltocan, Which Is About Six Leagues From the City, of Mexico, and of What Occurred There and in Other Towns Through Which He Passed There came witli us to Tezcueo oyer fifteen thousand Tlascalans. and five day? having now passed without anything worthy of note happening, the Cantain in-('hief of \he i,Tlascalans. Chichimeca tecle, who was very brave and proud, said to Cortes that he wished to do something against the Mexicans that would be of service tn our Emperor, and also to re venge the deaths* of those Tlascalans that had been slain by them both in Mex ico and in former times in their own ter ritories, and that he wished to be allowed to go against a town called Saltocan, which was in the lagoon about six leagues from Mexico. We had already sent messengers to the people of this town three times, calling on them to come and make peace, and they had beaten the messengers and replied that what they most desired was for us to come against them, as their idols assured them that in that case we would all be destroyed. Cortes determined to go in person and bring them to peace, and for this purpose he took with him two hundred and fifty sol diers and thirty horse and a strong body of crossbowmen and arquebusiers; and he took in his company l'edrode Alvarado and Cristobal de Oh and all the Tlasca lans and a squadron of Tezcucan war riors, and he left Gonzalo de Sandoval in charge of the camp. After he had heard mass he set forth on the march. Oncom ing near Saltocan he encountered a great squadron of Mexicans Who were posted in a place which they thought favorable fur resisting our horse. But after one dis ( ,e arquebuses and crossbows Cortes charged them with his horse and broke their ranks so that they Hcd in all directions out of reach of the horse, but our friends of Tlascala followed them closely and killed and captured over thirty of them. That night Cortes halted where there were some houses and with great precau tion placed sentinels and watches lest he should be surprised during the night. When Guatemoc learned that we hail gone against Saltocan he sent in canoes great squadrons of warriors to the assis tance 3f the people of that place. The next day, early in the morning, they attacked us from the houses, which were totally in the water, with arrows and slings, and they soon wounded ten of ot;r men, besides a great many of the Tlasca lans, while our horses could not reach them because of the water, for some days before they had b.'oken the causeway that led into the town so that we could not get at them in any way, nor could our cross bowmen or arquebusiers hurt those in the canoes, for they were protected by bulwarks,and were besides careful to keep out of range. Our soldiers, seeing that in no way could they get at them,and suffering from the shower of rocks and arrows, and an gry at the cries of the Mexicans, who called them women and said that Malin ehe.too.wns a woman who dared not tight, but only deceived with lying words, grew desperate and cursed the town and the expedition both. At this moment two Indians of Tezcu eo. between whom and the people of Sal tocan there was bad blood, said that it was only a few days before that the peo ple of Saltocan had opened certain canals and caused the water to cover the cause way.and that it could be crossed with lit tle difficulty. Thereupon.guided by these Indians.our soldiers commenced to wade. Sometimes they were knee deep, and at others with the water to their waists. The crossbowmen and arquebusiers were in front, and Cortes on the bank: with bis horse lest they should he attacked in the I rear. When they reached the town, where thero was dry ground, the Indians rushed on them like wolves and wounded a great many, but our men paid them back well lor their jeers and killed and wounded so many of them that they soon fled in their canoes with everything they could carry off. But notwithstanding we got a good spoil of gold and cotton cloth and other things, and the Tlascalans also carried off a good spoil of gold and salt and cotton cloth, and in this town we captured also a great many pretty Indian women. As the houses were built in tbe lagoon our men did not dare to remain there that night, but returned to where Cortes was. and they camped in a small town about a league from Saltocan. where they dressed ttieir wounds. A few days after one of our men died of an arrow wound in the throat. The next day Cortes went to a largo town called Colvatitlan. but although the Indians yelled at the troops as they passed, yet when they arrived at the town they found it deserted, the popula tion having carried off everything of value. That night they stayed at Col vatitlan and the next day marched to a large town called Teneyuca. This was the town which on first entering Mexico we called "the town of the serpents," be cause they had two immense figures of serpents for idols. This town thoy also found deserted, the people having moved to a town still further in advance, called Ecapuzalco. sVnd when Cortes reached that place he found it also deserted. This was the town in which resided all the sil versmiths and goldsmiths of Montezuma, and which we were accustomed to call "ci pueblo de las Platerose." From this town we marched to Tacuba, which is about half a league from Eseapu zalco. This was the town where we rested the "noche triste" when we Hed from Mexico. Before we reached Tecuba Cortes met great squadrons composed of the peo ple of the deserted towns with those of Tacuba, assisted by squadrons ol Mexi cans; they came upon him with such fury that he had great difficulty in breaking their ranks with his horsemen. But there were so many of them and in such close order that every shot and every stab counted, so that presently he drove them back, and that night he stayed in Tacuba. The next day great squadrons of war riors, sent over in the night time, at tacked him with great fury and persist ency, they being assisted each moment by fresh squadrons from the cily, which was near at hand. Gradually he drove them back, and finally they broke and fled along the Cal zada toward the city, which was only a stratagem to draw him and his men into a trap. And Cortes, believing that he had the victory, and that they were flying through fear, pursued them along the Calzada. And when the Mexicans thought they had him far enough, there came upon him and his soldiers such a multitude of warrior?, both on the Calzada and in canoes, that he feared that he not only would be defeated but destroyed, for there was such a multitude of them that the soldiers could not fight to advant age because the causeway was narrow, an alferez who carried a banner was so badly wounded that he fell into the water. The Mexicans haa aheady seized him and were dragging him into a ftanoe. when by desperate effort he freed himself and saved both himself ; and his banner by climbing back on the Calzada. In this fight we lost five men killed and had a great number wounded, and Cortes, seeing that the Mexicans had en trapped him, put his men in the best or der possible and little by little fought his way to the shore of the lake. It was ou that very bridge at that time that Pedro de ircio'madc some injurious remarks ti» the Alferez .Itian Valante, who fell in tho water. There was bad blood between; SPECIMENS OF AZTEC GOLD JEWELRY them because of a woman, and the re« marks of Pedro Ircio were unjust because the alferez was a brave man, but there after they were mortal enemies. Cortes now commenced the return march to Tezcueo by the road lie had come, and the Mexicans, thinking he was retreating through loar, followed him, yelling, and laid ambushes for bim, whore they thought they could kill the horses. logons of these attacks Cortes killed a great many of them, hut lost In PAGES 13 TO 24