satisfied with the Tlascallans. After all the slaves had been brought
together and severally marked with the letter G, the emperor's fifths
and then Cortes' were deducted before we were aware of it; and, besides
this, on the night preceding, the finest of the Indian females had been
secretly set apart, so that when it came to a division among us
soldiers, we found none left but old and ugly women. This occasioned
excessive murmuring against Cortes and all those who had thus picked and
chosen before us; and some of Narvaez's men told Cortes to his face that
they were not aware, up to the present moment, there were two kings in
the Spanish dominions, and that two royal fifths could be demanded. A
certain Juan Bono, who was also loud in his complaints, added, that such
proceedings should not be permitted in New Spain, and that he would send
information of it to his majesty and the council of India. Another
soldier asked Cortes if the division he had made of the gold in Mexico
was not a sufficient imposition? for, at first, he had merely spoken of
300,000 pesos, but when we were obliged to retreat from the city, it was
estimated at 700,000 pesos. And now he was going to deprive the poor
soldier, who had undergone so many hardships, and suffered from
innumerable wounds, of this small remuneration, and not even allow him a
pretty Indian female for a companion! When notice was given, continued
he, that each person was to produce his prisoners, in order that they
might be marked, it was thought they would have been valued, and that
the emperor's fifths would have been deducted therefrom in money, and
that no mention would have been made of fifths for Cortes.

Similar and even severer speeches were in every one's mouth respecting
Cortes' fifths, until the latter began to consider it high time to
pacify these daring spirits. He stated, therefore, and swore upon his
conscience, (for this was his usual oath,) that it should not happen in
future, but that all the prisoners should be valued, and sold at their
valuation, which would put a stop to all further discontent on that
head. This resolution was subsequently adhered to, particularly after
the conquest of Tezcuco, where we took a vast number of prisoners.

If this circumstance had occasioned ill blood, another of a different
nature occasioned worse. The reader will remember that, on the night of
sorrows, after as much of the gold had been stowed away as could be,
Cortes had giv