o tears. This terrible night has always been known in
history as _la noche triste_--the melancholy night. Melancholy indeed
it was. Surely the situation of a man was never more desperate. If
the Mexicans had rejoiced in the leadership of a Cortes, they would
have mustered their forces and fallen upon the Spaniards without the
delay of a moment, and the result could only have been annihilation.
But the Mexicans themselves had suffered terrifically. They had won a
great victory, but they had paid a fearful price for it. Now they
wanted to enjoy it. They wished to sacrifice their captives to their
gods, and they thought that there was no hope for the Spaniards, and
that they might overwhelm them at their leisure.

This is Sir Arthur Helps' vivid description of the awful retreat:

"A little before midnight the stealthy march began. The Spaniards
succeeded in laying down the pontoon over the first bridge-way, and the
vanguard with Sandoval passed over; Cortes and his men also passed
over; but while the rest were passing, the Mexicans gave the alarm with
loud shouts and blowing of horns. 'Tlaltelulco![9] Tlaltelulco!' they
exclaimed, 'come out quickly with your canoes; the _teules_ are going;
cut {189} them off at the bridges.' Almost immediately after this
alarm, the lake was covered with canoes. It rained, and the
misfortunes of the night commenced by two horses slipping from the
pontoon into the water. Then, the Mexicans attacked the
pontoon-bearers so furiously that it was impossible for them to raise
it up again. In a very short time the water at that part was full of
dead horses, Tlascalan men, Indian women, baggage, artillery,
prisoners, and boxes (_petacas_) which, I suppose, supported the
pontoon. On every side the most piteous cries were heard: 'Help me! I
drown!' 'Rescue me! They are killing me!' Such vain demands were
mingled with prayers to the Virgin Mary and to Saint James. Those that
did get upon the bridge and on the causeway found hands of Mexicans
ready to push them down again into the water.

"At the second bridge-way a single beam was found, which doubtless had
been left for the convenience of the Mexicans themselves. This was
useless for the horses, but Cortes diverging, found a shallow place
where the water did not reach further than up to the saddle, and by
that he and his horsemen passed (as Sandoval must have done before).
He contrived, also to get his foot-soldiers safely to t