Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/87

Rh sins I was not worthy to behold them. What I, Bernal Diaz, saw was Francisco de Morla on a chestnut horse coming up with Cortes, and even now, at this very moment, while I am writing this, I can see again all the battle passing before my eyes, just as I relate it; and although I am a sinner not worthy of beholding one of the glorious apostles face to face, yet I never heard any of the other four hundred soldiers, nor Cortes himself, talk of this wonder. To confirm its truth we would have built a church when the town was founded, and named it Santiago de la Victoria, or San Pedro de la Victoria. If what the historian relates were true, then we must have been bad Christians when the Lord sent us aid in the person of his sainted apostles not to show respectful recognition of his great favor, and thank him daily in a church. I should have great joy if It were as the historian relates, but I must confess I never heard of this wonder until I read of It in his book, nor have I ever heard any of the conquistadores who were present at the battle speak of it.

We took five prisoners, among them two caciques. After Aguilar had spoken with them he thought they might serve as messengers to their countrymen, and having advised Cortes to free them and give them glass beads, he told them the battle had been of their own seeking, that we wished to treat them as brothers, and that they had better gather all the caciques