ng this time was only fifty
grains of maise! (p. 347.)

[88] According to other accounts, it certainly appears that Alvarado
made this astonishing leap. (Monarchia In., iv, c. 71.) We find that
Alvarado was distinguished from his brother by the surname of _Alvarado
of the leap_. Humboldt, in his interesting work on New Spain, has
thought it worth his while to rescue the honour of this brave officer
with regard to this leap. Even to the present day there is a small
bridge near Bonavista, called Salto de Alvarado. (p. 352.)

[89] According to other accounts Cortes put great faith in the secret
art of this man. It was upon Botello's advice that he also attacked
Narvaez in the night time. He had likewise advised the retreat from
Mexico in the night time, although he knew, he said, that neither
himself, his brother, nor several others of his company would escape
alive. (p. 353.)

[90] During this retreat three of Motecusuma's sons lost their lives;
but there were two other sons of this monarch who survived the fall of
their house and became the founders of the distinguished grandee
families of Spain, the earls of Montezuma and Tula; one was called Cano
and the other Andrada Montezuma. (p. 353.)

[91] One circumstance Bernal Diaz has omitted to mention. After the
enemy had taken possession of the bridges there were one hundred
Spaniards, who, seeing no further chance of making good their retreat,
fortified themselves on a teocalli or temple. Here these brave men
maintained their position against the whole armed force of the town for
three days, but hunger at length compelled them to surrender, and the
whole of them were sacrificed to the idols. (p. 353.)

[92] The hunger which the Spaniards suffered during these days must have
been excessive; for Torquemada states it as a fact, that one of the
soldiers had cut out the liver from the body of another and devoured it;
for which Cortes was nearly going to hang the man. (p. 354.)

[93] Torquemada says, "That the Spaniards stood like a small island in
the midst of the ocean, against which the rolling billows beat on every
side." When Cortes decided the fate of the day by his courageous attack
upon the Mexican commander, the battle had lasted five hours. (p. 354.)

[94] The Mexican general's name was Cihuacatzin; he was the
Matlaxopilli, commander-in-chief, and carried the imperial standard,
called Tlahuizmatlaxopilli, being a golden net ten palms in length. (p.
355.)

[95