Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/364

324 said he had begged they might stay in the canoes until Malinche's pleasure be known. Cortes at once sent for them and had set before them the best of every food he had. And now, as it was late and beginning to rain, our captain told Sandoval to take the monarch and all his family and chiefs to a town near by; and he ordered Alvarado and Sandoval to withdraw each to his own quarters.

Thus were Guatemoc and his chiefs captured on the 13th of August, about the hour of vespers, in the year 1521. Praise and glory be to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to Our Lady, his blessed mother! Amen. The night of this day it thundered and lightened unceasingly, and up to midnight unusually heavy rain fell.

After Guatemoc's capture we soldiers turned so deaf we could scarcely hear. We were like those standing in a belfry where many bells are ringing and then all of a sudden cease. I suggest this as comparison, for during the more than eighty days we were besieging the city, both night and day, our ears suffered great confusion of noises. In one quarter some of the Mexicans were yelling and piping war-whoops to muster their squadrons; in another warriors were calling to the canoes to attack the sloops, the bridges, the causeways; still further one side others were urging bands with exciting turmoil to deepen the openings, drive piles, cut through