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themfelves here, where they moftly died. The ftreets, the fquares, 

 the houfes, and the courts of the Taltelulco were covered with dead bo- 

 dies; we could not ftep without treading on themj the lake and canals 

 were filled with them, and the ftench was intolerable. For this reafon, 

 our troops immediately after the capture of the royal family retired to 

 their former quarters. Cortes himfelf was for fome time ill from the 

 effed; of it. 



The veflels were now the beft fituation, thofe on board carrying 

 away all the plunder, for they had accefs to houfes in the water which 

 were not in our reach. They alfo found what the Mexicans had con- 

 cealed in the reeds, and on the borders of the lake, and intercepted that 

 which was carried out of our reach by water. We on land gained no- 

 thing but honor and wounds. The wealth our navy got was much 

 more than we could guefs at ; Guatimotzin and all his chiefs declaring, 

 when enquiry was made as to the public treafure, that it had moftly 

 fallen into their hands. 



To return to the flate of Mexico. Guatimotzin now requefted of 

 Cortes, that permifTion fliould be given to clear the city entirely of the 

 inhabitants, in order to purify it, and reftore its falubrity. Accordingly 

 they were ordered to remove to the neighbouring towns, and for three 

 days, and three nights, all the caufeways were full, from one end to 

 the other, of men, women, and children, fo weak and fickly, fqualid 

 and dirty, and peftilential, that it was mifery to behold them. When 

 all thofe who were able had quitted the city, we went to examine the 

 ftate of it, which was as I have defcribed. The ftreets, courts, and 

 houfes were covered with dead bodies, and fome miferable wretches 

 were .creeping about, in the different ftages of the moft ofFenfive difor_ 

 ders, the confcquences of famine and improper food. The ground was 

 all broken up to get at the roots of fuch vegetation as it afforded, and 

 the very trees were flrippcd of their bark ! There was no frefh water in 

 the town. During all their diftrefs however, though their conflant 

 prasflice was to fcafl on fuch as they took prifoners, no inflance occurred 



of 



