us, that, without this wonderful assistance, he would
certainly have been cut to pieces with all his men; as it was, he lost
only two of his soldiers, whom the Mexicans carried off alive. This and
many other circumstances were related by Alvarado: the following,
however, was told me by several of his men. At one time they were
entirely without any water to drink; they dug a well in the yard
adjoining their quarters, and behold! they found sweet water, whereas in
every other place where wells had been sunk in Mexico, nothing but salt
water was to be found. The hand of Providence was certainly often
stretched out to our aid; yet I must observe, in behalf of truth, that
there was another well in the town, which often, and, indeed, almost
always, contained fresh water.

For the rest, there were men who asserted that Alvarado merely made this
murderous attack upon the Mexicans from avaricious motives, to possess
himself of the splendid garments, the gold, and the jewels which they
wore at such festivals. This I do not believe, nor did I ever hear such
a thing mentioned at the time, although this and many other
circumstances were asserted by the bishop de las Casas, in which,
however, there is not a syllable of truth. For myself, I am convinced
that Alvarado merely struck this blow to terrify the Mexicans, and to
follow up the old saying, "He who attacks first gains the victory." The
consequences were certainly different to what he had expected, and bad
became worse.[86]

We have, however, obtained satisfactory proof that no guilt can be
imputed to Motecusuma respecting the hostilities which subsequently
burst out: on the contrary, he commanded the Mexicans not to attack
Alvarado, but they replied that they could no longer endure to see him
kept in confinement, and their countrymen murdered in the midst of
their festivities. They were determined to set him at liberty, and to
kill every teule who resisted them.

These and many other facts I learnt from credible persons who were
present with Alvarado all the time. I have now, however, to speak of the
terrible battles which we fought in this city.

[86] A formal inquiry was made into this circumstance, by order of
Charles the Fifth. The excellent Bartholomew de las Casas gave judgment,
and he pronounced the Mexicans entirely innocent of having had any
intention to massacre the troops under Alvarado, but that the latter had
massacred the Mexicans without any provocation, mer