Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/341

Rh time they came in silence, and at another with hideous yells. Terrible it was to see the numberless stones, javelins and arrows they let fly. But we maintained our ground and sent them back with great loss.

In this way, in spite of rain and wind and cold, up to the ankles in mud, aching from wounds, there we watched; and after heavy fighting stayed our hunger with a mess of wretched maize cakes, herbs and prickly pears—which the officers cheered us by saying was a matter of course. And notwithstanding every effort of ours, the bridges we took from our enemy they often re-took from us.

But you, the reader, ask what benefit did we get in destroying the aqueduct of Chapultepec, and then the three causeways? Very little, I confess, for the Mexicans by light canoes during the night, brought in much food and water from the towns near Mexico. To cut off these supplies we determined that two sloops should cruise by night about the lake and waylay convoys of provisions. By such means we soon found we had diminished the enemy's supplies and increased our own. But even with all our effort many canoes well laden with food and water did get into Mexico. And the Mexicans tried many stratagems to rid themselves of our troublesome sloops. One time they fitted out thirty large canoes, manned with best rowers and most valiant warriors, and concealed them among the reeds of the lake to decoy