Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/128

planning some mischief against them, and they also, as it afterwards appeared, were arranging what they
The
Destruction
of Mexico
could for their defence, as we likewise conjectured. Having concerted with our friends that we would attack them by land and water, the next morning, after having heard mass, we took the road to the city, and when we reached the water pass and barricade near the great houses of the square, intending to attack them, the people of the city asked us to be quiet as they wished to sue for peace. I ordered my people to cease fighting, and told them that the lord of the city should come there to speak to me, and arrange the conditions of the peace. After telling me that they had already gone to call him, they detained me for more than an hour, but in truth they did not want peace, as they themselves immediately showed, for, while we were quiet, they began to throw adobes and darts and stones at us. When I saw this, I attacked the barricades and captured them, and on entering the square we found it strewn with large stones to impede the horses moving over it; for generally it is these which do the most fighting. We also found a street barricaded with dry stones, and another filled with stones, so that the horses could not pass through them. During the rest of that day, we filled up the water street which leads out from the square, so that the Indians never opened it again, and thenceforward we began, little by little to destroy the houses and to shut up, and fill up completely, all we had gained on the water. As we were accompanied all day by more than one hundred and fifty thousand warriors, a good deal was accomplished; and thus we returned that day to our camp, and the brigantines and canoes of our friends, after doing much damage to the city returned to rest. The next day we again entered the city in the same order, as far as the enclosure and large court where the towers of the idols