appened, as we were looking for a proper spot to erect our altar,
that two of our men, one of whom was Yanez our carpenter, found the
traces of a doorway in the wall of one of the apartments, which had been
carefully walled up and neatly plastered over; and as we all very well
knew that the treasure of Motecusuma's father was secreted somewhere in
our quarters, these two men soon conjectured that this doorway might be
the entrance to the treasury. Yanez communicated his suspicions to the
chief officers, Leon and Lugo, who were relatives of mine; and at last
it got to the ears of Cortes. The consequence was, that the doorway was
in all secrecy broken open, and Cortes, with some of our officers,
entered the hidden apartment.

Their expectations were fully realized; for they found here such a vast
quantity of trinkets, thick and thin plates of gold, chalchihuis, and
other precious things heaped up together, that they were perfectly
astounded and were almost speechless at the sight of such immense
riches. This matter soon became known to all of our men, who now also
paid a visit to this secret treasure. I also followed their example, and
as at that time I was still a young man, and had never before beheld
such vast treasures, I concluded that the whole of the remaining part of
the world, put together, could not produce such a vast collection of
riches. However, all our officers and soldiers unanimously agreed to
leave everything untouched, and that the doorway should be walled up
again as before, nor was Motecusuma to be informed of our discovery.

As all of us, officers as well as privates, were men of experience, full
of energy and very determined, who never lost sight that the Lord Jesus
Christ had assisted us with his divine hand in all our undertakings, we
deputed four officers and twelve of our most trustworthy and faithful
soldiers, myself being among the number, to Cortes, and represented to
him how we were cooped up in this strong city, as if we had been caught
in a net or cage. We begged of him to remember the bridges and
causeways, how we had been cautioned in every town we passed through
against Motecusuma, and were assured that Huitzilopochtli had advised
him to allow us to enter the city quietly, and when once there to fall
upon us unawares and destroy us all. He ought to remember the
inconstancy of the human mind in general, and of the Indians in
particular; and not trust to the kindness and friendship which