Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/320

296 found the bridge free, though I crossed with much trouble, for I had to jump the horse from one side to the other, almost six feet, but, as I and he were armoured, they did us no serious hurt beyond slight body wounds. Thus victory was theirs that night, for they had captured the said four bridges.

Leaving a guard over the other four, I went to the fort, and had a wooden bridge constructed which forty men could carry, and, seeing our great danger, and the great damage we daily received from the Indians, and fearing also that they might destroy that causeway as they had the others, when we would all inevitably perish, and because many of my company entreated me many times to depart, and because all, or nearly all, were wounded so badly that they could no longer fight, I determined to leave that same night. I collected in a room all the gold and jewels belonging to Your Majesty that could be carried, and I delivered it in parcels to the officials of Your Highness, whom I designated in your royal name, beseeching and requiring the alcaldes, and municipal authorities, and all the people who were there, to help me take it away. I gave one of my mares for this purpose, on which they loaded as much as she could cany; and I designated certain Spaniards, not only from my servants, but also of the others, to accompany the said gold and mare, and the rest of the officials, alcaldes, municipal officers, and myself, gave and distributed the remainder to the Spaniards to carry away.

Having abandoned the fort, and much treasure, belonging not only to Your Highness, but also to the Spaniards and myself,  The Sorrowful Night I set forth as secretly as possible, taking with me a son and two daughters of Montezuma, Cacamazin, the lord of Aculuacan, and another of his brothers, whom I had put in his place, and some other chiefs of