78 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



cover in other places of the empire. The fetid fmell, which 

 fo many thoufand putrid bodies emirted, was fo intole- 

 rable, that it occafioned fome ficknefs to the general of 

 the conquerors. The houfes, the ftreets, and the ca- 

 nals, were full of disfigured carcafes; the ground of 

 the city was in fome places found dug up by the citi- 

 zens, who fearched under the earth for roots to feed 

 on, and many trees were dripped of their bark, to fup- 

 ply the exigencies of famine. The general caufed the 

 dead bodies to be buried, and large quantities of wood 

 to be burned through all the city, as much in order to 

 purify the infe&ed air as to celebrate his victory. 



The news of the taking of the capital fpread quickly 

 through all the land; mod of the provinces of the em- 

 pire acknowledged obedience to Cortes, though fome 

 few for two years after continued to war upon the Spa- 

 niards. The allies returned to their native diflri&s, 

 joyful beyond meafure wirh their prey, and gratified in 

 extreme to have maken and convulfed that court whofe 

 dominion they never could brook, and whofe arms kept 

 them in perpetual uneafinefs; never perceiving, that 

 with their own hands they had been forming the chains 

 which were to fetter their liberty, and that when that 

 empire was fallen, all the other nations of the region 

 muft be degraded and enflaved. 



The plunder was greatly inferior to the hopes and 

 expectations of the conquerors. The garments and ap- 

 parel which they found in the capital were divided 

 among the allies: thofe works of gold, filver, and fea- 

 thers, which, on account of the fmgularity of their work- 

 manfliip were preferved entire, were fent as prefents to 

 the emperor Charles V. all the reft of the gold, which 

 was melted, hardly amounted to nineteen thoufand two 



hundred 



