The Tlascalans had, from the moment when they admitted themselves
beaten by the Spaniards, laid aside all hostility; and had, indeed,
accepted the alliance with enthusiasm. They had a right to be proud
of their own valor, for they had resisted all the attempts of the
great Aztec monarchy to conquer them, and had defeated, with
slaughter, greatly superior forces; and that a mere handful of
white men should be able to withstand their attacks, day after day,
and to defeat their best and hardiest troops, led by generals who
had hitherto been always successful, excited their surprise and
admiration in the highest degree. They were not gods, they knew,
for some had been killed in the conflict; but as men they seemed to
them infinitely superior, in strength and courage, to any that they
had before heard of; and they were proud to enter into an alliance
with such heroes. Moreover, they saw they would now have an
opportunity of turning the tables upon their enemies of the plains.
They did not believe, for a moment, that Montezuma would admit the
white men to his capital, and in that case there would be great
battles, and perhaps much plunder to be gained; and therefore, when
the Spaniards were again ready to advance, the whole fighting force
of Tlascala was placed at their disposal. Cortez, however, declined
to take with him so large an army. The appearance of such a force,
composed of the bitter foes of the Aztecs, would have combined
against him the whole strength of that empire, and would have
destroyed any hope that might remain of peaceful arrangements.
Moreover, the difficulty of feeding so large a body of men would be
great, indeed; and as his authority over them would be but feeble,
constant broils with the Aztecs would be the inevitable result. He
therefore, with many thanks, declined the offer; but said that he
would gladly take with him a force of six thousand volunteers.
The first march was to be to Cholula, whose people had sent a warm
invitation to Cortez to visit them; and Montezuma, by his last
envoys, also requested them to journey forward by way of that city.
The Tlascalans had strongly urged him to refuse the invitation. The
Cholulans were, they said, a treacherous people and not to be
trusted. They were bigoted beyond the people of other cities,
Cholula being the holy city of Anahuac. It was here the god
Quetzalcoatl had remained for twenty years on his way down to the
coast, instructing the people in the arts of civilization. Here was
the great temple of the god, a pyramid whose base covered
forty-four acres, and whose height was a hundred and eighty feet;
the platform on its summit, where the sacrifices took place, being
an acre in size.
Cortez, however, decided upon visiting Cholula. He deemed the
reports of the Tlascalans to be prejudiced, as there was a
long-standing animosity between the two peoples; and he thought
that, were he to avoid visiting this important town, which lay
almost on his road to Mexico, it might be set down by the Aztecs to
distrust or fear.
The departure from Tlascala was witnessed by the whole of the
population of the state, who assembled to bid the white men
farewell, and to wish them success upon their way. A day's march
took them to within a mile or two of Cholula. Here they were met by
many nobles from the city, who urged them to enter it that evening;
but Cortez, bearing in mind the warnings he had received, and
thinking it dangerous to enter the streets of an unknown and
possibly hostile city after dark, declined to move forward until
morning. Seeing the hostility and distrust excited in the minds of
his visitors at the sight of the Tlascalans in his camp, he ordered
his allies to remain in camp when he advanced in the morning, and
to join him only when he left the city on his way to Mexico.
The Spaniards, as they entered Cholula, were greatly struck with
the appearance of the city and its inhabitants, it being a very
much larger and more highly civilized place than any they had yet
met with. The buildings were large and handsome, the streets wide,
the population very large, and exhibiting in their dress every sign
of wealth and luxury. There was, too, a great variety among the
population; for, as it was the sacred city of the empire, people
from all other parts were in the habit of making pilgrimages there,
and most of the towns had their own temples and establishments. So
numerous were the temples that fully two hundred towers could be
counted, rising above the city, with the stupendous pyramid
towering above them all.
The Spaniards were quartered in the court of one of the temples,
and in the surrounding buildings. As soon as they were established
there, the principal nobles of the town paid them visits of
ceremony; and presents of everything necessary for their comfort
and accommodation, and stores of provisions of all kinds, poured
in.
Roger had, in the line of march, taken his place among the troops;
but Cortez directed that he should, at other times, be near at hand
to him, as he alone of those in the army had any personal knowledge
of the country they were to traverse, and could give information as
to the size of the towns, the nature of the roads, and the
advantages which these offered, respectively, in the supply of
provisions likely to be obtained, the facilities for getting water,
etc. Cortez therefore, Father Aquilar acting as interpreter,
enjoined him to ramble about the city, releasing him from all
guards and exercises.
"Now that you are dressed like the rest of us," he said, "none will
dream that you understand their language, and as you pass along
they will express freely before you the sentiments they may
entertain of us. I do not expect them to love us, and doubtless
though they may flatter us to our faces, they curse us heartily
behind our backs. But we care nothing for their curses, or for
their ill will, so long as they do not proceed to plots and
conspiracies against us.
"They seem courteous and friendly, and I think that the Tlascalans
have spoken far too strongly against them. Nevertheless we will be
on our guard. These men are not like our mountain friends, who were
rough fighters, but hearty and honest people. They are traders, or
nobles, or priests, accustomed to let their faces hide their
thoughts, but through you we may get nearer to them than we
otherwise should do.
"But go not alone. One man can easily be jostled into one of the
temples, and made away with, without any being the wiser. I will
choose two comrades for you; men of discretion, and courageous
without being quarrelsome. With them, too, you will, ere long,
begin to recover your mother tongue; which you will never do, so
long as you only talk these heathen languages with Marina and
Father Aquilar."
Cortez struck the table with his hand, and an attendant entered.
"Summon Juan Algones and Pedro de Gasconda."
In a minute two men entered. Juan was a weatherbeaten soldier,
whose face bore the marks of several deep scars, and who had fought
for Spain on most of the battlefields of Europe. Pedro was young
enough to be his son. Juan had saved his life in a fight with the
natives of Cuba, and since then they had been inseparable.
"Juan, I have sent for you to ask you and Pedro to take our new
comrade into your party. I know you are always together, and that
you are quiet and peaceable, and not given either to quarrel in
your cups or to spend your evenings in gambling and dicing. He has,
as you know, almost forgotten his own language; and it will be for
our advantage, as well as his own, that he should learn it as soon
as possible; for as he knows the country and people, it is well
that he should be able to communicate with the rest of us, without
having to hunt up an interpreter.
"But that is not the principal thing, just at the present moment.
We know not whether the people of this city mean treacherously
towards us, or not. They will not speak in the presence of Donna
Marina or of the good Father here, knowing that they are acquainted
with the language; but as they will not imagine that this tall
Spanish soldier can know aught of what they say, they will not mind
speaking out their thoughts before him. Therefore, while he is here
it will be his duty to wander about the streets, and learn what the
people are saying, and what they think of us. But here, as
elsewhere, I have ordered that not less than three men shall go out
together.
"I have chosen you to accompany him. You will be free from all
other duty."
"That we will do, right willingly," Juan said. "It is pleasanter to
walk about the streets, and look at these strange peoples, than it
is to be cooped up here. As to the other part of the business, we
will do what we can towards teaching him Spanish; but as to being
our comrade, that must depend upon himself. I like the young
fellow's looks much. He looks honest and straightforward, though
where he got that light wavy hair and that fair skin from I can't
guess--they are rare enough in Cadiz, where I heard one say that he
came from."
"We don't know that he came from there, Juan. He may have come from
the mountains of Biscaya, where fair skins are commoner than they
are in the south. It is only that he described to us a port, which
must have been Cadiz, as the last thing he recollected in Spain."
"Ah, well, his skin matters nothing!" the soldier said. "His face
is an honest one, and as to height and strength one could wish no
better comrade. He is young yet, not more than nineteen or twenty,
I should guess; but I will warrant that there is not a man in the
expedition he could not put on his back, if it came to a tussle. At
any rate, we will try him.
"What do you say, Pedro?"
"I like his looks," the young fellow said. "At any rate, we are not
like to quarrel with him. As to more than that, we can say better
when we know more of each other."
Father Aquilar, who had listened attentively to all that had been
said, explained to Roger the purport of the conversation between
Cortez and the men. When he had finished, Roger held out his hand
to the two soldiers, and gave them a hearty grasp, expressive of
his willingness to join in the arrangement that had been made.
"He will do, General," Juan said. "We will look after him, never
fear."
Cortez gave orders that the three men were to be allowed to leave
the quarters and go into the town at all times, without further
question; and they at once started for a turn through the streets.
"How are we to begin to teach this young chap to talk, Pedro? It is
out of the regular line of duty, altogether."
Pedro shook his head.
"I don't know, comrade. I have heard women teaching their babies to
talk, but I should hardly think that would be the way with him."
"No, no, that is quite different, Pedro. You see the little ones
have not got their tongues twisted rightly, and they can't talk
plain, do as much as they will; but this young fellow could say,
plain enough, what we told him. The question is, what are we to
tell him?
"Suppose I say to him, 'They are a curiously dressed lot of people
here.'
"Well, he might say it after me, but as he would not have an idea
what we meant, I don't see that we should be getting any
forwarder."
Roger, however, had already gone through the work of learning the
two native languages, and knew how to begin. He touched Juan's
sword, and gave the Mexican word for it.
"What does he mean by that, Pedro?"
Roger repeated the action.
"Perhaps he wants to know what you call your sword," Pedro
suggested.
"Perhaps it is that. I will try him, anyhow.
"'Spada.'"
Roger nodded, and repeated the word after him, and then touched his
own helmet.
"That is what he means," Juan said, with great satisfaction. "What
he has got to do is to touch things, and for us to tell him the
names."
"That is capital. I had no idea teaching a language was such easy
work."
However, after a few more words had been said, and a method
established, Roger asked no more questions; his companions being
now fully occupied in gazing at the houses, the temples, and the
crowd in the streets, while he himself was busy listening to the
remarks of the people.
It was curious to him, to hear everyone around freely discussing
them, assured that no word they said was understood. Had he been
vain, he would have felt gratified at the favorable comments passed
on his personal appearance by many of the women and girls; but he
put them down, entirely, to the fact that he differed more from
them than did the Spaniards, and it was simply the color of his
hair, and the fairness of his skin, that seemed wonderful to the
Mexicans.
"Ah!" he heard one woman say to another, "I marked that tall
soldier when they came into the town, this morning. They are all
grand men, and look wonderfully strong and brave with their arms
and armor. I know that such fighters as these were never heard of
before; for have they not, few as they are, beaten the Tlascalans?
Who, as we all know, are good fighters, though they are little
better than savages. But as to their faces, they were not what I
expected to see. They are lighter than ours, but they are not
white.
"But I noted this soldier. He is just like what I expected--just
like what they said the white man, who has been at Mexico for some
time, is like."
"I am sorry for them," the girl said. "They say that Montezuma will
offer them all up at the temples, when he gets them to Mexico."
"Perhaps they will never get there," a man standing next to her
said. "At least, unless they enter the town as captives.
"Perhaps some of them will stay here. Why should not our god have
his share of victims, as well as the war god of Mexico?"
The speaker was a priest, who was scowling angrily at the three
Spaniards; who, after stopping to look at the carving over the gate
of a temple, were now moving on again.
But although Roger heard occasional remarks that showed it was the
opinion of the inhabitants that Montezuma had only allowed these
strangers to enter his country for the purpose of destroying them,
there was no general feeling of hostility to them--the satisfaction
at the defeat they had inflicted upon Tlascala far outweighing any
other feeling.
After wandering about for some hours, the party returned to their
quarters, where Roger gave, through Malinche, to Cortez an account
of what he had noticed.
"There is nothing new in that," Cortez said. "We know that
Montezuma has done all in his power to prevent us from coming, and
that now he knows he has wasted his treasures in vain, he must feel
no goodwill towards us. However, we shall be prepared for him.
"But continue your search. There may be a change come. Montezuma
may, even now, be preparing to crush us. If so, as soon as the
people here know it, you will see a change in their demeanor. The
priests are all powerful here, and the devils whom they worship are
sure to set them on to do us mischief, if they can. Therefore,
relax not your watchfulness. Marina and yourself are the only two
among us who understand their language, and it is upon you both
that we have to depend, to shield us from treachery. Against an
open assault I have no fear, but in a crowded town like this, an
attack at night might be fatal."
Cortez had, indeed, taken the precaution upon his arrival of
stating to the nobles that, as it would be inconvenient for Marina
to reside in buildings occupied solely by men, he should be glad if
one of their wives would receive her as a guest; and she was
accordingly installed, at once, in the house of one of the
principal nobles.
Some days passed, as Cortez was waiting for the arrival of a fresh
embassy from Montezuma. During that time Roger was unable to detect
any change in the attitude of the population. The Spaniards were
greeted courteously when they went abroad, and their leaders were
entertained at fetes and banquets by the nobles.
Roger and his two comrades were well satisfied with each other.
Juan was a taciturn soldier, but he was amused at the efforts of
Pedro and Roger to converse.
"I am glad, Pedro," he said, on the third day of their making
acquaintance with Roger, "that this young fellow has joined. If I
had had my will, I should have said nay when Cortez proposed it;
but it is good for you, lad. It is well enough for an old soldier
like me to toil along all day without speaking, under a burning
sun; and to say but little, even over his cup of wine, at the end
of the march. But it is not good for a lad like you. You were
getting old before your time. I could sing a song, and dance a
measure with the best of them, when I was at your age; and you see
what has come of my campaigning for, like yourself, I took to an
old soldier for a comrade. This young fellow seems to have a
cheerful spirit, and when he can talk our language well will be a
gay companion, and will do you good.
"Yes, and do me good, too, Pedro. You are too apt to get into my
moods, and be silent when I am silent; and thus I make you dull,
while you do not make me bright. Only I want to see this young
fellow at work, before I quite give him my heart. I believe that he
will bear himself bravely. It were a shame, indeed, if there should
be faint heart in a body of such thews and muscle. Truly he is a
stately figure, and has the air of the great noble rather than a
rough soldier; but that, I take it, comes from his being brought up
among these Mexicans; who, though in most respects ignorant, carry
themselves with much dignity, and with a stately and gentlemanly
manner, such as one sees, in Europe, chiefly in men of good blood."
On the evening of the fourth day, the embassy arrived from
Montezuma. The emperor had apparently again changed his mind, for
he expressed his regret at their determination to visit the
capital, and begged them to relinquish the idea. Upon leaving
Cortez, the ambassadors had an interview with several of the chief
nobles of Cholula. They left for the capital again in the night.
The next morning a change was visible in the behavior of the
people. They no longer visited the Spanish quarters, but held aloof
from them. The nobles, upon being invited to come to see Cortez,
sent in excuses on the ground of illness, or that they were about
to undertake a journey, or other pretexts, and the supply of
provisions sent in fell off greatly.
Roger and his comrades also marked a great difference in the manner
of the people in the streets. The buzz of talking and laughing was
hushed, as they approached. People turned away, as if desirous of
avoiding the sight of them. The priests regarded them with an
insolent air. On one or two occasions they were roughly jostled,
and on arriving at the end of a street the people gathered round,
and by words and gesture told them to go no farther.
Cortez had particularly enjoined in Roger and his companions
against embroiling themselves, in any way, with the people; and
they therefore suffered themselves to be turned back, without
exhibiting any air of concern; but Juan muttered many oaths beneath
his mustache, and Roger and Pedro had difficulty in restraining
their anger.
Cortez looked very grave upon hearing Roger's report, on their
return.
"I fear that treachery is intended," he said, "and if I did but
know it, I would be beforehand with them. You had best not go
abroad again, for it may be their intention to provoke a quarrel,
by an affray in the streets. I will send some of the Cempoallans
who are with us out. They will be less observed, and may find out
what is going on."
"I think," Marina said, "that if we go up to the flat roof, we may
see something of what is going on. This house is more lofty than
most."
Cortez, with Roger and the girl, ascended to the roof. From it they
commanded a considerable prospect. On some of the roofs they could
make out bodies of men at work, but these were too far off to see
what they were doing.
In the evening the Cempoallans returned, and said that they had
come upon barricades erected across several of the streets, and
that on many of the roofs great stones and beams of timber were
piled; while they had discovered holes dug in the streets, and
covered with branches, and apparently intended to entrap cavalry.
A portion of the troops were ordered to remain under arms all
night, in case of attack, but the city remained quiet. In the
course of the following day some Tlascalans came in from their
camp, and informed Cortez they had heard that a great sacrifice of
children had been offered up, in one of the temples, a custom which
prevailed whenever an enterprise of a serious nature was about to
be undertaken. They said, too, that large numbers of the citizens,
with their wives and children, were leaving the town by the various
gates. The situation had now become very grave, and Cortez and his
officers were at a loss to know what had best be done, as they had
still no positive proof that treachery was intended.
This proof was, however, furnished by Marina next day. The wife of
the cazique had taken a great fancy to her, and urged her to take
up her abode altogether at her house, hinting that it would be
safer for her to do so. Marina at once pretended that she should be
glad to leave the white men, who held her in captivity in order
that they might use her as an interpreter. The Cholulan then gave
her a full account of the conspiracy.
It was, she said, the work of the emperor, who had sent rich
presents by the ambassadors to the great nobles, and had urged upon
them the necessity of making an end of the white intruders. Twenty
thousand troops had been marched down to within a short distance of
the city, and these were to enter and take part in the assault on
the Spaniards.
The attack was to be made as these left the city. The streets were
to be barricaded, and impediments to prevent the action of the
cavalry placed in the way; and the Spaniards were to be overwhelmed
with the missiles from the roofs, while the troops would pour out
from the houses to the attack. Some of the Spaniards were to be
sacrificed at the altars at Cholula, the rest to be marched in
chains to the capital, and there put to death.
This scheme was unfolded to Marina in her apartment in the Spanish
quarters, and she appeared to assent to the proposal that she
should, that night, leave the Spaniards altogether. Making an
excuse to leave the room for a few minutes, Marina hastened to
Cortez and informed him of what she had heard. The cazique's wife
was at once seized, and being in terror of her life, she repeated
the statements she had made to Marina.
The news was alarming, indeed. The position of the Spaniards in the
midst of a hostile city seemed well-nigh hopeless--the barricades
and pitfalls would paralyze the action of the cavalry and
artillery, every house would be a fortress, and under such
difficulties even the bravery of the handful of Spaniards would
avail but little against the overwhelming force by which they would
be attacked.
Before deciding as to the best course to be adopted, Cortez
determined to obtain further confirmation of the story of the
cazique's wife. He accordingly sent an invitation to two priests,
who resided in the temple close to his quarters, to visit him. When
they came he received them most courteously, but informed them
that, by the powers he possessed, he was perfectly aware that
treachery was intended. He bestowed upon them some very valuable
presents, from the gifts he had received from Montezuma, and
promised that none should be aware that he had received any
information from them. The rich bribes had their effect, and the
priests confirmed the report Marina had heard.
They said that the emperor had, since their arrival, been in a
state of vacillation, constantly consulting the oracles, and unable
to make up his mind whether to fight them, or to receive them with
honor. He had, when he heard that they were going to Cholula, first
issued orders that they should be well received; but since then the
oracles had again been consulted, and had declared that Cholula
would be the grave of the white men, for that the gods would
assuredly lend their aid in destroying the enemies who had dared to
violate the sanctity of the holy city. He had, therefore, ordered
the attack to take place in the manner described; and so certain
were the Aztecs of success that the manacles to secure the
prisoners had already been sent to the city.
Cortez dismissed the priests, telling them that he intended to
leave the city the following morning, and requested that they would
induce the principal nobles engaged in the plot to pay him a visit,
at once. As soon as the priests had left, he summoned his principal
officers, and disclosed to them the plot he had discovered. There
was much difference of opinion between them. Some were in favor of
returning at once to the friendly city of Tlascala. Others voted
for still advancing, but by the northerly route their allies had
recommended. But the majority agreed, with their general, that
their only chance of safety was in taking a bold course; for that
retreat would raise the whole country against them, and ensure
their destruction.
When the nobles arrived, Cortez rebuked them mildly for their
altered conduct and for the failure of supplies; and said that the
Spaniards would no longer be a burden upon the city, but would
march out on the following morning; and requested that they would
furnish a body of two thousand men, to transport his artillery and
baggage. As this suited admirably the designs of the natives, they
at once agreed to furnish the required force.
Upon their leaving, Cortez had an interview with Montezuma's
ambassadors, who had accompanied him from the coast, and told them
that he was aware of the treacherous plot to destroy him and his
army, and that he was grieved to find that this vile act of
treachery was instigated by Montezuma. The ambassadors, astounded
at what appeared to them the supernatural knowledge of Cortez, and
terrified at the position in which they found themselves, made
earnest protestations of their entire ignorance of the scheme; and
declared that they were convinced that the emperor was wholly
innocent of it, and that it was entirely the act of the Cholulans.
Cortez pretended to believe them, as he was desirous, as long as
possible, of keeping up a semblance of friendship with Montezuma;
and declared that he was willing to believe that, after the
friendly messages and gifts the emperor had sent, he could not be
guilty of such baseness and treachery. His anger therefore would be
directed chiefly against the Cholulans, who were guilty not only of
foul treachery to himself, but of dishonoring the emperor's name by
their conduct.
As soon, however, as the ambassadors had retired, a strong guard
was placed over them, to prevent them from communicating with the
citizens. Every precaution was taken, in case the plans of the
enemy should be altered, and an attack made during the night. The
guns were placed so as to command the approaches. The horses were
kept saddled, and ready for action. Strong guards were placed, and
the troops lay down in their armor. Orders were dispatched, to the
Tlascalans, to hold themselves ready to march into the city in the
morning, and join the Spaniards.
As soon as daylight broke, the troops were under arms. A portion of
those, with the guns, were posted outside the building, so as to
sweep the streets. A strong body were told off to guard the three
gates of entrance. The rest were drawn up in the great court, which
was surrounded partly by buildings, partly by high walls.
Soon after the arrangements were completed the caziques arrived,
having with them a body of men even larger than they had agreed to
bring. As soon as they entered, Cortez called them to him, and
informed him that he was acquainted with all the particulars of the
conspiracy. He had come to that city upon the invitation of the
emperor, had given them no cause of complaint, and had left his
allies outside the walls. Under the guise of kindness and
hospitality, they had prepared a snare to cut off and destroy them.
The Cholulans were astounded. It seemed to them useless to deny
anything to men who could thus read their thoughts, and they
confessed that the accusation was true.
Cortez raised his hand. A gun gave the signal, a terrible volley
was poured into the Cholulans, and the Spaniards then fell upon
them with pikes and swords. The unfortunate natives, thus taken by
surprise, and penned up like sheep in the enclosure, scarcely
offered any resistance; some tried to escape through the gateways,
but were repulsed by the troops stationed there. Others strove, but
in vain, to scale the walls, and the only survivors of the massacre
owed their lives to hiding under the great piles of dead.
In the meantime, the Mexicans without, being made aware by the
heavy firing of the failure of their plan of surprise, rushed from
the buildings in which they had been stationed, and poured up to
the assault. They were swept down by the discharges of the guns,
but the places of the slain were rapidly filled, and with reckless
bravery they pressed up to the Spaniards; although Cortez, at the
head of his cavalry, charged them again and again, so as to give
the gunners time to reload.
The struggle was still proceeding when the Tlascalans entered the
gates of the city and, coming up at a run to the scene of conflict,
fell upon the rear of the Mexicans. These could no longer resist
their terrible opponents and, breaking their ranks, took refuge in
the houses, or fled to the temples.
One large body, headed by the priests, made a stand upon the great
central teocalli. There was a tradition among them that, if its
stones were removed, the god would pour out an inundation of water
to overwhelm his enemies. The Cholulans tore down some of the
stones, and when the expected miracle did not take place, were
seized with despair. Many shut themselves up in the wooden towers
on the platform of the summit, and poured down missiles on their
foes as they climbed the great staircase; but the darts and arrows
fell harmless upon the armor of the Spaniards, and when these
gained the platform, they snatched up the blazing arrows shot at
them, and fired the turrets. The Cholulans fought to the last, and
either threw themselves over the parapet, or perished in the
flames.
In the meantime, many of the wooden houses in the town had caught
fire, and the flames spread rapidly. The Spanish cavalry charging
through the street trampled the Mexicans under foot, while the
Tlascalan allies gratified their long enmity against the Cholulans
by slaying them without mercy.
When all resistance had ceased, the victors burst into the houses
and temples, and plundered them of their valuables. The sack
continued for some hours, and then Cortez, at the entreaties of
some Cholulan caziques who had been spared at the massacre, and of
the Mexican ambassadors, consented to call off his troops; and two
of the nobles were allowed to go into the town, and to assure the
surviving inhabitants that no further harm would be done to them,
if they would return to their homes.
The Spaniards and Tlascalans were drawn up under their respective
leaders. The division of the booty offered no difficulties. The
mountaineers attached no value to gold or jewels, and were well
content with wearing apparel and provisions; while to the share of
the Spaniards fell the valuables taken. Cortez had given strict
orders that no violence should be offered to the women or children,
and his orders had been respected; but many of these and numbers of
men had been made prisoners by the Tlascalans, to carry away into
slavery.
Cortez, however, now persuaded them to liberate their captives; and
so great was his influence that they acceded to his request. The
dead bodies were now collected, and carried outside the city by the
inhabitants.
Cortez, in his letter to the Emperor Charles, says that three
thousand were slain; but most contemporary writers put down the
number of victims at six thousand, and some at even a higher
figure. Order was promptly restored. The inhabitants who had left
the town speedily returned, and the people of the neighborhood
flocked in with supplies. The markets were re-opened, and only the
lines of blackened ruins told of the recent strife.
The massacre was a terrible one, and is a stain upon the memory of
Cortez; who otherwise throughout the campaign acted mercifully,
strictly prohibiting any plundering or ill treatment of the
natives, and punishing all breaches of his orders with great
severity. The best excuse that can be offered is, that in desperate
positions desperate measures must be taken; that the plot, if
successful, would have resulted in the extermination of the
Spaniards; and that the terrible lesson taught was necessary, to
ensure the safety of the expedition. Moreover, a considerable
portion of those who fell, fell in fair fight; and after the action
was over, the inhabitants were well treated. It must, too, be taken
into consideration that the Spaniards were crusaders as well as
discoverers; and that it was their doctrine that all heretics must
be treated as enemies of God, and destroyed accordingly.
Such was not the doctrine of their Church, for as the great
historian Bede writes of King Ethelbert:
"He had learned, from the teachers and authors of his salvation,
that men are to be drawn, not dragged, to heaven."
Roger, with his two companions, had formed part of the force
stationed outside the gates to resist the attack of the citizens;
and he had taken his share in the fierce fighting that went on
there. He was not free from the prejudices of his times, and the
horrible sacrifices of the temples, and the narrow escape he
himself had had in being offered up as a victim, had inspired him
with a deep hatred of the religion of the people; although against
them, personally, he had no feeling of hostility. Even in the
height of the conflict he felt pity for the men who, in their
cotton armor, rushed so fearlessly to the attack of the iron-clad
Spaniards, armed with their terrible weapons. But at the same time,
he knew that if they were successful, the most horrible fate
awaited him and his companions; and the treacherous plot, of which
they had so nearly been the victims, excited the same feelings in
his mind as in that of the Spaniards.