rch, they
broke out into loud lamentations, and moaned bitterly; but still
continued the attack upon us, and that with increased fury. "Now," they
hollowed out, "we will make you pay dearly for the death of our monarch,
and the insult you have offered to our gods! Is it now you beg peace of
us? Only come out, and we will show you what terms we mean to make with
you!" Many such like insulting speeches they threw out against us, and
added, that they had now selected a monarch whose heart was placed in
the right spot, and whom we should not so easily deceive with our lies
as we had the good-natured Motecusuma. "Don't trouble yourselves,"
continued they, "about his burial, but think of your own graves, for, in
a couple of days, not a single one of you will be left alive!"

Under such like threats, and vehement yells, they attempted to fire our
quarters at various points. As it was very evident to us that we could
not hold out much longer, it was determined, in a council of war, that
we should abandon the metropolis, and continue the war outside on the
main land, where we could destroy the plantations.

In this our proposed retreat, the cavalry was to form the vanguard, and
at all stakes to break through the enemy's ranks, or drive them into the
lake, even if we were to sacrifice all our horses in the attempt.
Previous to taking this step, we determined on making such dreadful
havoc among the Mexican troops, that they might allow us to depart in
peace from the fear of still greater losses. This resolve was carried
out the day following with unshaken bravery. We mowed down great numbers
of the enemy, set fire to about twenty houses, and had fought our way
almost up to the main land; but though we suffered much, and purchased
this partial success with above twenty killed, it availed us nothing,
for we could not gain possession of any of the bridges, which, besides
being half burnt down, were defended by strong bodies of the enemy. Even
those places where the horse might have found a way through the water,
the enemy had now rendered impassable by sharp stakes which they had
driven in. Thus we were beset on all sides by perils of various natures.
In this last sally of our cavalry, which happened on a Thursday, there
were, besides Sandoval, Lares, Dominiguez, Leon, Morla, and other brave
cavalry officers, many of Narvaez's horse, who, however, showed the
utmost fear, as they had not yet experienced, as we old soldiers of
Cortes