26 



MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA 



vaders were so weakened that their condition was truly 

 alarming. Moctezuma died in captivity and the last 

 restraint of the natives was removed. 



The night of June 30, 1520, is famous as La Noche 

 Triste — The Sad Night — for on this night the Spaniards 

 attempted to steal out of the city that had become 

 untenable. The natives were warned by a woman's 

 shriek and a desperate encounter took place on the nar- 



Fig. 7. Aztecan Canoe. Lienzo de Tlaxcala. 



row causeway leading to Tlacopan. The bridges were 

 torn down and the Spanish soldiers in armor were 

 hemmed in between the deep canals. At last, however, 

 the firm land was reached. Here, instead of following 

 up the victory, the natives permitted the Spaniards to 

 re-form their ranks. A few days later Cortez was able 

 to restore something of his lost prestige by the decisive 

 victory at Otumba, after which he continued his retreat 

 to the friendly Tlaxcala. 



A year was spent in recuperation, in building boats 

 for an attack from the lake, and in putting down the 

 Aztecan outposts. In the meantime the natives were 



