kept
up during the night. Really it is impossible to describe the dreadful
and dismal sound of this diabolical drum, with the yelling and other
dissonant noises which burst forth each time the Mexicans sacrificed one
of our countrymen between the large fires they had kindled on the summit
of the temple! For ten successive days were these inhuman sacrifices
continued, until all their prisoners were gone; Christobal de Guzman,
who was among the number, they had reserved for the last, and kept alive
for eighteen days.

During these sacrifices the idols delivered their oracles, and promised
the Mexicans our total destruction before ten days had expired, if they
only persevered in their attacks upon us. And thus it was they allowed
themselves to be deceived!

The following morning early the Mexicans again advanced in numerous
bodies to the attack, and would undoubtedly have forced their way up to
our encampment if we had not kept up a steady fire upon them with our
cannon, which Pedro Mareno served with great effect. I must not forget
to mention that they shot our own arrows at us from five crossbows which
they had captured, the use of which they had compelled the Spaniards
whom they had taken prisoners to teach them; but the injury they did us
with these was next to nothing.

Matters went on in the same way at the two other encampments, with which
we kept up a constant communication, by means of the brigantines, which
also conveyed Cortes' different commands, and these he always put down
in writing.

While the three divisions were thus steadily carrying on their
operations against the city, our brigantines were also continually on
the alert, and two of those belonging to Cortes' division diligently
chased the convoys of provisions and water going to Mexico. On one
occasion they captured a large canoe quite filled with a species of
slime,[24] which, when dried, tastes very much like cheese. The number
of prisoners our vessels took was likewise very great.

Twelve or thirteen days may now have passed away since our unfortunate
defeat; and as Suchel, the brother of the king of Tezcuco, became daily
more convinced that we had the advantage over the Mexicans, and that
their threats to destroy us all within ten days had been a mere trick of
their idols to delude them, he sent word to his brother to despatch the
whole armed force of Tezcuco to aid in the siege. The king of Tezcuco
soon complied with his brother's wishes, and