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t)thers in the canoes coming to attack our vcfTels ; fome again at work 

 upon their palHfadoes, or opening the ditches and water cuts, and mak- 

 ing ftone parapets, or preparing their magazines of darts and arms, and 

 the women fupplying the (lingers with their ammunition. Then from 

 the temples and adoratories of their accurfed idols, the timbals and horns, 

 and the mournful found of their great drum, and other difmal noifes, 

 were inceffantly affailing our ears, fo that day or night we could hardly 

 hear each other fpeak. But thefe dins immediately ceafed on the cap- 

 ture of Guatimotzin, for which reafon as I have obferved, we felt like 

 fo many men juft efcaped from a fleeple where all the bells were ringing 

 about our ears. 



Guatimotzin was of a noble appearance both in perfon and counte- 

 nance; his features were rather large, and chearful, with lively eyes. 

 His age was about twenty three or four years, and his complexion ve- 

 ry fair for an Indian. His queen the niece of Montezuma, was young, 

 and very handfome. 



In regard to the difpute between Sandoval and Holguin, Corles 

 related to them the circumftance from the Roman hiftory, of the capture 

 of Jugurtha, and the difpute of Marius and Sylla, about which of them 

 fhould have the honor of it, and that this difpute was produdlive of 

 moft fatal civil wars j but faid that he would lay the whole affair before 

 his Majefty, by whofe arbitration it fhould be decided, which of the 

 two fliould have the action emblazoned in his arms. In two years from 

 this time the Emperor's orders upon the fubjedt arrived ; they were to 

 this purpofe; that Cortes fhould bear in his arms the feven kings, re- 

 prefenting Montezuma, Guatimotzin, and the princes of Tezcuco, 

 Iztapalapa, Cuyoacan, Tacuba, and Matalzingo. 



What I am going to mention is truth, and I fwear and fay amen 

 to it. I have read of the deftrudiion of Jerufalem, but I cannot conceive 

 that the mortality there exceeded this of Mexico ; for all the people from 

 the diftant provinces which belonged to this empire had concentrated 



S s ihemfelves 



