he and Sandoval, whose heads
these are.' With these words they commenced an attack of such fury,
and came so close to hand with the Spaniards, that they could not use
their cross-bows, their muskets, or even their swords. One thing,
however, was in their favor. The difficulty of their retreat was
always greatly enhanced by the number of their allies; but on this
occasion, the {210} Tlascalans no sooner saw the bleeding heads and
heard the menacing words of the Mexicans, than they cleared themselves
off the causeway with all possible speed.

"The Spaniards, therefore, were able to retreat in good order; and
their dismay did not take the form of panic, even when they heard, from
the summit of the Temple, the tones of that awful drum, made from the
skin of serpents, which gave forth the most melancholy sound
imaginable, and which was audible at two or three leagues' distance.
This was the signal of sacrifice, and at that moment ten human hearts,
the hearts of their companions, were being offered up to the Mexican
deities.

"A more dangerous, though not more dreadful sound was now to be heard.
This was the blast of a horn sounded by no less a personage than the
Mexican King--which signified that his captains were to succeed or die.
The mad fury with which the Mexicans now rushed upon the Spaniards was
an 'awful thing' to see; and the historian, who was present at the
scene, writing in his old age, exclaims that, though he cannot describe
it, yet, when he comes to think of it, it is as if it were 'visibly'
before him, so deep was the impression it had made upon his mind.

"But the Spaniards were not raw troops; and terror however great, was
not able to overcome their sense of discipline and their duty to each
other as comrades. It was in vain that the Mexicans rushed upon them
'as a conquered thing'; they reached their station, served their cannon
steadily--although they had to renew their artillery-men--and
maintained their ground.

"The appalling stratagem adopted by the Mexicans--of {211} throwing
down before one division of the Spanish army some of the heads of the
prisoners they had taken from another division, and shouting that these
were the heads of the principal commanders--was pursued with great
success. They were thus enabled to discourage Sandoval, and to cause
him to retreat with loss toward his quarters. They even tried with
success the same stratagem upon Cortes, throwing before his camp, to
which h