tles we had fought
previous to their arrival in New Spain; the great power of the Mexicans,
and the large cities we had seen up to the present moment in this
country; when they assured our general, that if the bishop of Burgos had
informed the emperor as faithfully of the truth as he was studious of
falsehood in his account, the emperor would certainly by this time have
nobly rewarded him and his troops. No monarch, they said, had ever been
rendered the vast services he had received at our hands, who had thus,
without his knowledge, subjected so many large cities to him.

After this discourse, Cortes ordered the ensign Corral and myself, and
two of our officers, Xaramillo and Pedro de Ircio, to ascend the rock,
in order to inspect the enemy's fortifications there, and whether our
musketeers and crossbow-men had killed or wounded many of the Indians;
and altogether to see what kind of people they were. "But I must desire
you not even to take as much as a grain of maise from them," added
Cortes; and I understood him to say, "Mind you look to your own
advantage."

We then began to ascend by a very dangerous path, and we found the
enemy's position here even more formidable than the first one, for the
rocks were perpendicular. There was only one entrance to the
fortification itself, which was not broader than double the width of the
mouth of a baker's oven. At the summit of this rock we found a spacious
greensward, on which were encamped great numbers of Indian warriors,
women, and children. All the loss they had sustained was twenty killed
and several wounded. There was not a drop of water for all this crowd of
human beings to drink. A considerable number of bundles of cotton stuffs
and other matters were lying about, destined as tribute for
Quauhtemoctzin. When I saw all these matters, and knew they were going
to be sent as tribute to Mexico, I ordered four Tlascallans who were
with me, and four Indians who had charge of these goods, to take each a
load and follow me. Just at that moment Pedro Ircio came up, and ordered
that everything should be left where it was. I first remonstrated with
him for this, but was forced in the end to obey his commands, because he
was an officer. "Did you not yourself," said he, "hear Cortes say that
we were not even to touch a grain of maise belonging to these people. I
will certainly inform against you if you do not leave these things where
they are." I acquiesced of course, but I told him