Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/290

252 and one hundred of our most active soldiers were to form a vanguard and clear the streets. Cortes should go in the middle and support the part most needing help. In the rear were to go the main body of cavalry, the baggage, our prisoners, and Donna Marina, all guarded by three hundred Tlaxcalans and thirty Spaniards.

Night was fast approaching, when our captain told his steward to see that his domestics brought the gold, silver and jewels together in the hall. Then Cortes named two officers to take charge of our king's portion and load as heavily as possible eight of the wounded horses and eighty Tlaxcalans with it. For the most part it was in broad bars of gold. To his secretary and the king's notaries Cortes further said, "Put down in writing for witness that I have done all I could to save this treasure of over seven hundred thousand dollars in gold. You see the Indian porters and the horses can carry no more. I now permit any soldier to take what he can carry, otherwise it may fall into the hands of these dogs of Mexicans."

As soon as they heard this, the soldiers of Narvaez and many of our men stowed away as much of the metal as they could. I have never had the failing of coveting gold, but I took four chalchihuite stones out of a small box and quickly put them under my cuirass. It was a deed well done, for later on they