( 405 } 



was preferable to going with us any farther. They had therefore refol- 

 ved to try their fortunes, and fall upon us at the paffage of fome river 

 or marfh, their numbers being an encouragement to the attempt, as they 

 exceeded three thoufand well armed men. Guatrmotzin denied that the 

 whole of the Mexican force was concerned in this plot, or that it would 

 have ever been, to his knowledge, carried into efted:. But he admit- 

 ted that it had been heard though never approved of by him. The 

 prince of Tacuba declared that all which had ever pafTed between Gua- 

 timotzin and him was, frequent declarations that to lofe their lives at 

 once would be preferable to wafting in the manner they were, in a flow 

 death, by hunger and fatigue, and feeing the diftreffes of their friends 

 fuffering around them. Without, any more proofs whatever, Cortes 

 ordered Guatimotzin and his coufin the prince of Tacuba to be hanged 

 immediately, and the preparations for the execution being made, they 

 were brought to the place attended by the reverend fathers. Before he 

 was executed, the king turning round to Cortes faid, "Malintzin! now 

 " I find in what your falfe words and promifes have ended ; — ^in my 

 ** death. — Better that I had fallen by my own hands than truft myfelf 

 ** in your power in my city of Mexico. — Why do you thus unjuftly 

 ** take my life? May God demand of you this innocent blood!" The 

 prince of Tacuba only faid that he was happy to die by the fide of his 

 lawful fovereign. Thus ended the lives of thefe two great men, and I 

 mufl fay hke good chriftians, and for Indians, moft piouflyj and I 

 heartily pitied Guatimotzin and his coufin, having feen them in fuch 

 great fortune and fituations. They behaved very kindly to me during 

 our march, doing me many fervices, efpecially giving me Indians to 

 carry grafs for my horfe j and I alfo declare that they fufi-ered their deaths 

 moft undefervingly, and fo it appeared to us all, amongft whom there 

 was but one opinion upon the fubjedt; that it was a moft unjuft and 

 cruel fentence. 



We continued our march afterwards with great caution, from ap- 

 prehenfions of a mutiny among the Mexicans on account of the execu- 

 tion of their chiefs j but the wretches were fo exhaufted by famine, 



ficknefs;,. 



