Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/366

326 death-like that it was pitiful to see them, crowded the causeways. As soon as they had got away Cortes set out to examine the city. We found houses full of dead bodies, and a few poor creatures still having life but too weak to stand. Every patch of earth in town looked as if it had been ploughed up, for the starving people had dug out every root and had peeled the bark off the trees to ease their hunger; and we found no fresh water. And yet, during all this horrible famine, the Mexicans had not eaten of the flesh of their own people, only that of ours and our Tlaxcalan allies.

After we had thus subdued this great and populous city, and had given thanks to God, and had made certain offerings, Cortes ordered a joyous feast to celebrate our conquest, and for it procured wine from Spain, out of a ship just come to Vera Cruz, and pigs brought him from Cuba. To this banquet Cortes bade all officers and soldiers whom he esteemed. But when we went, there were neither seats nor tables for one third of us, and disorder and ill will prevailed. It would have been better if Cortes had not given that banquet, for at it many things happened in no wise worthy report. For some drank till they did foolish things, and they gambled and bragged of all the gold they had got. It would have been better if all the gold had been given for