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difpofal, as well as the lord of Tacuba. What tins inhuman procefs 

 extorted from them was, a confeffion that they had, four days previous 

 to the furrender, thrown treafure into the lake, and alfo the mufquets, 

 bows, and other arms taken from us in our flight, and in the laft defeat 

 of Cortes. The place which Guatimotzin pointed out was fearched by 

 the beft fwimmers, to no effed whatever. In a deep pond at his pa- 

 lace was found a fun of folid gold, fimilar to that which Montezuma 

 had given us, with many ornaments of fmall value, the private pro- 

 perty of Guatimotzin. On the torture the Prince of Tacuba declared 

 that he had gold at fome large houfes he poffefTcd four leagues from the 

 town of Tacuba, and that, if there, "he would point out to us where it 

 was buried. Alvarado and fix foldiers whereof I was one accompanied 

 him thither; when we arrived he declared he had faid fo in hopes of 

 dying on the road, for that he had no treafure whatever; fo we remain- 

 ed without any more gold to melt. The fadl is that the treafury was 

 diminifhed to a mere trifle before it came into Guatimotzin's hands ; and 

 1 and many others who faw it at firfl: knew it appeared to be then worth 

 twice what it was when brought out to have his Majefly's fhare deduct- 

 ed: I obferved many articles of remarkable and curious workman- 

 (hip miffing at that time; they were taken for the public fervice. 



I and feveral good divers fearched that part of the lake which had 

 been pointed out by Guatimotzin, and we found fome pieces of gold of 

 little value, which were immediately claimed by Cortes and Alderete. 

 They alfo fent down perfons and were themfelves prefent, but all they 

 obtained amounted to lefs than the value of ninety crowns. This made 

 us very penfive and grave, when we found what mere trifles our fhares^ 

 as they were called came to. For this reafon Fra Bartholome, and 

 other cavaliers and captains, reprefented to Cortes that it would be beft 

 to divide that which fell to the lot of the whole army, among the 

 wounded, the halt, the blind, the deaf, the fcorched, and the fick; 

 and that thofe who had cfcaped found would renounce their claims. 

 This they faid upon an expecftation that it might draw out fome of the 

 treafure which they fufpedted was concealed. Cortes replied that he 



T t would 



