everal others, up to my middle in
the water fighting away to rescue one of the brigantines; adding, that
had it not been for us, she must undoubtedly have been lost with all the
men on board. What he further added in my praise I will not mention, as
it concerns my own person, but it was often repeated by others and
sufficiently known to all the troops.

When Cortes learnt what excellent order we observed in our camp, his
heart grew lighter, and he commanded the divisions to keep out of the
way of the enemy as much as possible, and confine themselves to the
defence of the respective encampments, on which the Mexicans renewed the
attack every morning by throwing in darts, stones, and other missiles.
But after we had strengthened our encampment by a deep and broad ditch
we considered ourselves more secure, and remained quiet for the four
following days. Cortes and Sandoval allowing their troops a like period
of rest, and certainly we stood much in need of it, for we were all
wounded and quite enfeebled by continued fighting, and the little
nourishment we received. On that terrible day the loss of the three
divisions amounted to sixty men and seven horses. The short repose we
enjoyed was most beneficial to us, but we had now to deliberate on our
future plan of operation.

CHAPTER CLIII.

_The new plan of operation which we adopt in the siege, and how all
our allies return to their several homes._

For the next five days we stood at night under arms on the causeway, the
brigantines lying on each side in the lake, while one half of our
cavalry kept patrolling about Tlacupa, where our baggage and
baking-house were; the other half being stationed near our camp. As soon
as the day began to dawn, the Mexicans renewed the attack upon our
encampment, which they were determined to take by storm.

Similar attacks were likewise made on the encampments of Sandoval and
Cortes, until we changed our plan of operation. The Mexicans in the
meantime made solemn sacrifices every day in the large temple on the
Tlatelulco, and celebrated their feasts. Each time the infernal drum
resounded from the temple, accompanied by the discordant noise of shell
trumpets, timbrels, horns, and the horrible yells and howlings of the
Mexicans. Large fires were kept up on the platform of the temple during
the whole night, and each night a certain number of our unfortunate
countrymen were sacrificed to their cursed idols, Huitzilopochtli and