Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/314

290 one of his own subjects struck him on the head with a stone, with such force that within three days he died. I then had him taken out, dead as he was, by two of the Indian prisoners, who bore him away to his people; but I do not know what they did with him, except that the war did not cease, but went on more stoutly and more fiercely every day.

That same day, they called me to the place where they had wounded Montezuma, saying that certain captains wished to speak to me. I went, and there passed many arguments between us, I beseeching them not to fight with me because there was no reason for it, as they must perceive the benefits they had received from me, and how they had been well treated by me. Their answer was that I must depart and leave them their country, and then the war would cease, and that otherwise I might be sure that they would either die, or finish us.

It appears they did this to draw me out of the fort, so that they might, at their pleasure, trap me between the bridges, while in the act of leaving the city. I answered that they must not think I begged for peace from fear of them, but because I was grieved at the damage I had done them and would still have to do them; and also for the destruction of such a beautiful city. Still they answered that they would not cease to make war upon me until I left the city.

After having completed the engines, I sallied out the next day to capture certain roofs and bridges, carrying the engines before us, followed by four pieces of artillery, many archers and shield bearers, and more than three thousand natives of Tascaltecal who had come with me and helped the Spaniards. When we reached one of the bridges, we placed the engines and scaling ladders against the walls of the terraces, in order to scale them; but the defenders of the said bridges and terraces were so