Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/94

 the city, where stood a tower of their idols, at the foot of which was a broad, high bridge, crossing a very wide street of water defended by another strong earthwork. As we reached this place, they began to attack us, but as the brigantines were on both sides of the causeway, we took it without loss, which would have been impossible without their aid. As soon as they began to abandon the earthwork, our men landed from the brigantines, and we crossed the water, as did those of Tascaltecal, Guajocingo, Calco, and Tesaico, who were more than eighty thousand men. While we filled up that broken bridge with stones and adobes, the Spaniards captured another earthwork in the principal street, which is the broadest one in the city, but, there being no water there, it was very easily captured. They followed in pursuit of the enemy the whole length of the street until the latter reached another bridge which had been raised, with the exception of one broad beam by which they crossed. After the enemy had safely crossed to where they were protected by the water, they quickly removed it. They had thrown up on the other side of the bridge another great breastwork of earth and adobes. When we arrived there, we could not pass without throwing ourselves into the water, and this was very dangerous, as the enemy fought very valiantly, and on both sides of the street there was an infinite number of them fighting very stoutly from the roofs; but when some archers and musketeers arrived and we fired with two field pieces up the street, we did them much damage. As soon as we saw this, certain Spaniards threw themselves into the water and crossed to the other side, which it required two hours to accomplish. When the enemy saw them cross, they abandoned the breastwork and the roofs, and took to flight through the street, and thus all our people passed over.

I immediately ordered that bridge filled up and the