Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/55

 which was undoubtedly a sight to see. During all this time, many of the Indians were killed, without any of our people being injured, though we often entered by the causeways and bridges of the city, where they had so many defences that they resisted us stoutly. Frequently they would pretend to give us a chance to enter, saying:

"Come in and enjoy yourselves," and at other times they would say: "Do you think there is now another Montezuma, so that you can do as you please?" Once, while these speeches were passing, I placed myself, they being on the other side, near one of the bridges they had taken away, and signalled to our people to remain quiet; and they also, when they saw that I wished to speak to them, silenced their people. I then asked them, why they were so foolish as to court destruction? and, if there was amongst them any principal chief, to call him because I wished to speak to him. They answered that the whole multitude of warriors I saw there were chiefs so that I might say whatever I wished. As I did not make answer, they began to insult me. Someone of our men, I do not know who, then called to them that they would die of hunger, for we would not allow them to come out to seek for food; they retorted that they needed none, and that when they did they would eat us and the Tascaltecans. One of them took some loaves of maize bread and threw them towards us saying: "Take it and eat it if you are hungry for we are not"; and immediately they began to yell and attack us.

As my coming to this city of Tacuba had been principally in order to speak with those of Temixtitan, and to learn their intention, and as my being there profited nothing, I decided, at the end of six days, to return to Tesaica and hasten the construction of the brigantines, so as to surround the enemy by water and land. The day we left, we slept in the city of Goatitan, which I have mentioned above, nor did the enemy ever cease pursuing