_Cortes determines to announce Motecusuma's death to the Mexican
generals and chiefs who are at war with us._
After various deliberations on our present critical position, Cortes
determined that one of the distinguished Mexicans and one of the papas
whom we had taken prisoners should be despatched to the cazique of
Cuitlahuatzin, whom the Mexicans had raised to the throne, to announce
to him and his officers the death of Motecusuma, and explain to them the
manner in which it had taken place; they were to assure them that they
themselves had not only witnessed his death, but that his own subjects
were guilty of it, and that we were deeply distressed at the melancholy
circumstance. We also desired they would take charge of his body, to pay
it the last honours, and to place the crown on the head of that cousin
of Motecusuma who was staying with us, and who was entitled to it by
right of inheritance; or to elect one of his sons, as the prince they
had raised to the throne had no real claim to it. For the rest, we were
ready to make a treaty of peace with them, and quit Mexico; they should
not allow this opportunity of concluding peace with us to pass by, for,
up to the present moment, we had refrained from destroying the city
merely from our love and respect of the deceased monarch. If, however,
they compelled us to the combat, we would burn down all their houses and
cause no end of destruction. Upon this we handed over the corpse of
Motecusuma to six other Mexican chiefs and a large body of papas whom we
had taken prisoners. All these men had been present when the monarch
expired, and they informed Cuitlahuatzin faithfully of every
circumstance connected with it; how the Mexicans themselves had caused
his death by the shot of an arrow and three stones from a sling.
As soon as the Mexicans espied the dead body of their monarch, they
broke out into loud lamentations, and moaned bitterly; but still
continued the attack upon us, and that with increased fury. "Now," they
hollowed out, "we will make you pay dearly for the death of our monarch,
and the insult you have offered to our gods! Is it now you beg peace of
us? Only come out, and we will show you what terms we mean to make with
you!" Many such like insulting speeches they threw out against us, and
added, that they had now selected a monarch whose heart was placed in
the right spot, and whom we should not so easily deceive with our lies
as we had the good-natured Motecusuma. "Don't trouble yourselves,"
continued they, "about his burial, but think of your own graves, for, in
a couple of days, not a single one of you will be left alive!"
Under such like threats, and vehement yells, they attempted to fire our
quarters at various points. As it was very evident to us that we could
not hold out much longer, it was determined, in a council of war, that
we should abandon the metropolis, and continue the war outside on the
main land, where we could destroy the plantations.
In this our proposed retreat, the cavalry was to form the vanguard, and
at all stakes to break through the enemy's ranks, or drive them into the
lake, even if we were to sacrifice all our horses in the attempt.
Previous to taking this step, we determined on making such dreadful
havoc among the Mexican troops, that they might allow us to depart in
peace from the fear of still greater losses. This resolve was carried
out the day following with unshaken bravery. We mowed down great numbers
of the enemy, set fire to about twenty houses, and had fought our way
almost up to the main land; but though we suffered much, and purchased
this partial success with above twenty killed, it availed us nothing,
for we could not gain possession of any of the bridges, which, besides
being half burnt down, were defended by strong bodies of the enemy. Even
those places where the horse might have found a way through the water,
the enemy had now rendered impassable by sharp stakes which they had
driven in. Thus we were beset on all sides by perils of various natures.
In this last sally of our cavalry, which happened on a Thursday, there
were, besides Sandoval, Lares, Dominiguez, Leon, Morla, and other brave
cavalry officers, many of Narvaez's horse, who, however, showed the
utmost fear, as they had not yet experienced, as we old soldiers of
Cortes had, what it was to fight against Indians.