them. However courageously the
Mexicans might defend themselves, we nevertheless each day made new
inroads upon the city. Their numbers had greatly decreased, nor did they
make any fresh openings in the causeway; though they never failed to
harass us every evening when we marched back to our encampment.

By this time there was not a grain of powder left among the three
divisions, when fortunately a vessel ran into Vera Cruz which had become
separated from an armament that had been fitted out by a certain
licentiate, named Lucas Vasquez de Aillon, but which had been
shipwrecked on the islands off Florida. This vessel had on board a
number of soldiers, with a good store of powder, crossbows and other
matters, of which we stood in need. All this was immediately forwarded
to us by Rodrigo Rangel, who kept Narvaez in close custody at Vera Cruz.

Cortes now carried on the siege with more determination, and issued
orders for the three divisions to advance as far as possible into the
city, and even to make an attempt to force the Tlatelulco, on which
stood the chief temples of Mexico.

Cortes, with his division, soon fought his way up to another square
where some smaller temples stood, in which were suspended from beams the
heads of several of my companions in arms who had been slain in the
different engagements. The hair of these heads and beards was much
longer than when on the living body, and I certainly should not have
believed this if I had not seen it with my own eyes three days after,
when our division had likewise advanced up to this spot. Among these
heads I recognized those of three of my companions in arms. At this
melancholy sight the tears rolled from our eyes, and we allowed these
sorrowful remains of our fellow-countrymen to hang there for the
present, until twelve days after, when we took them down with others we
found elsewhere in these temples, and buried them in a church we
founded, which is now called the Church of the Martyrs. Alvarado, with
his division, had fought his way up to the Tlatelulco, but found so
formidable a body of Mexican troops stationed there for the defence of
the temples and idols, that it took him a couple of hours' hard fighting
before he had entire possession of it. Here our cavalry was of the
greatest assistance to us, as they were less restricted in their
movements on this open space, and charged the crowded ranks of the enemy
with much success.

As the enemy attacked us in gre