good
swimmers were then sent to dive for the treasure in the spot they
pointed out, but nothing was found. Yet there was some truth in the
statement; for I was myself present when Quauhtemoctzin led us to a
large and deep reservoir of water, built of stone, which lay near his
palace. From this reservoir we fished up a sun of gold similar to the
one sent us by Motecusuma, besides many jewels and other trinkets,
though all of little value. The king of Tlacupa also informed us that he
had hidden all manner of valuable things in some large houses, about
twelve miles from Tlacupa, and he would accompany us there to point out
the spot where he had buried them.

Alvarado was then despatched thither with six soldiers, among which
number I also was; but when we arrived at the spot, this king assured us
he had merely invented all this in the hopes that we would have killed
him in a moment of anger at our disappointment. We consequently returned
without the treasure, and thus there was no more smelting of gold into
bars for the present. But it is an undoubted fact that there was very
little left in the treasury of Motecusuma when it came into the hands of
Quauhtemoctzin; for by far the greater part had been taken out as a
present for our emperor.

Among the things which were collected together on this occasion, there
were various objects of beautiful workmanship, which it would be too
tedious to describe. One thing however is certain, and many were bold
enough to assert it, that the emperor's fifths were not taken of a third
part of what there really was.

I said above that there was some truth in what was stated by
Quauhtemoctzin with regard to his having ordered a quantity of gold and
other things to be thrown into the lake. I, with many of my companions
proved this to be a fact, for we frequently dived to the bottom of the
water in the spot which had been pointed out by the monarch. Each time
we brought up some trifling trinket or other, which were afterwards
demanded of us by Cortes and the royal treasurer. On one occasion they
both accompanied us to this spot, and took a number of good divers with
them, who brought up various ornaments of gold, worth altogether about
one hundred pesos; but this was nothing in comparison to the treasure
which was said to have been thrown in by the command of the monarch.

When the gold we took on this occasion came to be divided, the officers
and all our men were of opinion that what would