Iztapalapa, the Causeway and the City on the Lake

Terná esta ciudad de Iztapalapa doce ó quince mil vecinos; la cual está en la costa de una laguna salada grande, la mitad dentro en el agua y la otra mitad en la tierra firme. Tiene el señor della unas casas nuevas que aun no están acabadas, que son tan buenas como las mejores de España, digo de grandes y bien labradas, así de obra de cantería como de carpintería y suelos, y complimientos para todo género de servicio de casa, excepto mazonerías y otras cosas ricas que en España usan en las casas, y acá no las tienen. Tiene en muchos cuartos altos y bajos jardines muy frescos, de muchos arboles y flores olorosas; asimismo albercas de agua dulce muy bien labradas, con sus escaleras hasta lo fondo.

This city of Iztapalapa will have twelve or fifteen thousand householders [vecinos]; which is on the shore of a great salt lake, the half within the water and the other half on the firm land. The lord of it has some new houses which are not yet finished, which are as good as the best of Spain, I mean [as] large and well worked, as much in work of stonemasonry as of carpentry and floors, and fittings for every kind of house service, except mazonerías [carved stonework?] and other rich things which in Spain they use in houses, and here they do not have them. It has in many rooms, upper and lower, very cool gardens, of many trees and fragrant flowers; likewise pools of fresh water very well worked, with their stairs to the bottom.

This city of Iztapalapa must have twelve or fifteen thousand households.1 It lies on the shore of a great salt lake, half of it in the water and half on dry land. Its lord has some new houses, not yet finished, that are as good as the best in Spain. I mean that they are large and well built, in their stonework, their carpentry and floors, and their fittings for every kind of household service. They lack only the carved ornament and other rich things that houses in Spain have. In many of the rooms, upstairs and down, there are very cool gardens, with many trees and sweet-smelling flowers. There are also pools of fresh water, very well made, with steps going down to the bottom.

This city of Iztapalapa must have twelve or fifteen thousand households. It lies on the shore of a great salt lake. Half of it is in the water and half on dry land. Its lord has some new houses, not yet finished. They are as good as the best in Spain. They are large and well built, in stone and wood. In many of the rooms, upstairs and down, there are cool gardens, with trees and sweet-smelling flowers. There are also pools of fresh water, with steps going down to the bottom.

1. Cortés counts vecinos, householders, not people. Later writers name its lord as Cuitlahuac, Moctezuma's brother, who succeeded him as ruler in 1520 and died a few months later of smallpox.

Tiene una muy grande huerta junto la casa, y sobre ella un mirador de muy hermosos corredores y salas, y dentro de la huerta una muy grande alberca de agua dulce, muy cuadrada, y las paredes della de gentil cantería, é al rededor della un anden de muy buen suelo ladrillado, tan ancho, que pueden ir por él cuatro paseándose, y tiene de cuadra cuatrocientos pasos, que son en torno mil y seiscientos. De la otra parted el anden, hácia la pared de la huerta, va todo labrado de cañas con unas vergas, y detrás dellas todo género de arboledas y yerbas olorosas, y dentro del alberca hay mucho pescado y muchas aves, asi como lavancos y cercetas y otros géneros de aves de agua; y tantas, que muchas veces casi cubren el agua.

It has a very large orchard-garden [huerta] next to the house, and over it a lookout [mirador] of very beautiful galleries and halls, and within the garden a very large pool of fresh water, very square, and its walls of fine stonework, and around it a walk of very good brick paving, so wide that four can go along it strolling, and it has on each side four hundred paces, which are around one thousand six hundred. On the other side of the walk, toward the wall of the garden, it is all worked with canes with some laths [vergas], and behind them every kind of groves and fragrant herbs, and within the pool there is much fish and many birds, such as wild ducks and teals and other kinds of water birds; and so many that many times they almost cover the water.

Beside the house there is a very large garden, and above it a lookout with very beautiful galleries and halls. Inside the garden is a very large pool of fresh water, perfectly square, with walls of fine stonework. Around it runs a walk paved with good brick, so wide that four people can stroll along it side by side. Each side is four hundred paces long, sixteen hundred all the way around. On the other side of the walk, toward the garden wall, runs a trellis of canes and slats, and behind it every kind of tree and sweet-smelling herb. In the pool there are many fish and many birds, wild ducks, teal, and other water birds, so many that they often almost cover the water.2

Beside the house there is a very large garden, with a lookout and beautiful halls above it. In the garden is a great square pool of fresh water. Its walls are of fine stone. A brick path runs around it, wide enough for four people to walk side by side. Each side is four hundred paces long. Behind the path grows every kind of tree and sweet-smelling herb. In the pool there are many fish. There are so many ducks and other water birds that they often almost cover the water.

2. Bernal Díaz also admired this garden, its fruit trees and its pool of fresh water, and says canoes could enter it from the lake.

Otro dia después que á esta ciudad llegué me partí, y á media legua andada entré por una calzada que va por medio desta dicha laguna dos leguas, fasta llegar á la gran ciudad de Tenuxtitan, que está fundada en medio de la dicha laguna; la cual calzada es tan ancha como dos lanzas, y muy bien obrada, que pueden ir por toda ella ocho de caballo á la par, y en estas dos leguas de la una parte y de la otra de la dicha calzada están tres ciudades, y la una dellas, que se dice Mesicalsingo, está fundada la mayor parte della dentro de la dicha laguna, y las otras dos, que se llaman la una Niciaca y la otra Huchilohuchico, están en la costa della, y muchas casas dellas dentro en el agua.

The next day after I arrived at this city I departed, and at half a league gone I entered by a causeway which goes through the middle of this said lake two leagues, until arriving at the great city of Tenuxtitan, which is founded in the middle of the said lake; which causeway is as wide as two lances, and very well made, so that eight on horseback can go along all of it abreast; and in these two leagues on the one side and on the other of the said causeway there are three cities, and one of them, which is called Mesicalsingo, is founded the greater part of it within the said lake, and the other two, which are called the one Niciaca and the other Huchilohuchico, are on the shore of it, and many houses of them within the water.

The day after I reached this city I left it. After half a league I entered a causeway. It runs two leagues through the middle of the lake, all the way to the great city of Tenuxtitan, which stands in the middle of the lake.3 The causeway is two lances wide and very well built; eight horsemen can ride abreast along its whole length. Along these two leagues, on one side of the causeway or the other, stand three cities. One of them, called Mesicalsingo, is built mostly out in the lake. The other two, called Niciaca and Huchilohuchico, stand on its shore, with many of their houses out in the water.4

The day after I reached this city, I left it. I soon came to a causeway, a raised road across the water. It runs for about six miles across the lake. At its end is the great city of Tenochtitlan,1 in the middle of the water. The causeway is very well built. Eight horsemen can ride side by side along it. Along the way stand three towns. One, Mexicaltzingo, is built mostly out in the lake. The other two stand on the shore, with many of their houses out in the water.

3. A Spanish league was about three miles, roughly an hour's walk. Tenuxtitan is Cortés's spelling of Tenochtitlan.
4. Gayangos identifies Mesicalsingo as Mexicaltzingo and Huchilohuchico as Churubusco. Maudslay, following Eduard Seler, places Niciaca at Mixiuacan, on the southeast edge of the city.

E así seguí la dicha calzada, y á media legua antes de llegar al cuerpo de la ciudad de Tenuxtitan, á la entrada de otra calzada que viene á dar de la Tierra-Firme á esta otra, está un muy fuerte baluarte con dos torres, cercado de muro de dos estados, con su pretil almenado por toda la cerca que toma con ambas calzadas, y no tiene mas de dos puertas, una por do entran y otra por do salen. Aquí me salieron á ver y á hablar fasta mil hombres principales, ciudadanos de la dicha ciudad, todos vestidos de una manera y hábito, y sugun su costumbre bien rico; y llegados á me fablar, cada uno por sí facia, en llegando á mí, una ceremonia que entre ellos se usa mucho, que ponia cada uno la mano en la tierra y la pesaba; y así estuve esperando cási una hora fasta que cada uno ficiese su ceremonia.

And so I followed the said causeway, and half a league before arriving at the body of the city of Tenuxtitan, at the entrance of another causeway which comes to join from the mainland to this other, there is a very strong bulwark with two towers, surrounded by a wall of two estados [man-heights], with its battlemented parapet along all the enclosure which takes in both causeways, and it has no more than two gates, one by which they enter and another by which they leave. Here came out to see me and to speak [with me] up to a thousand principal men, citizens of the said city, all dressed in one manner and habit, and according to their custom very rich; and having come to speak to me, each one by himself made, on reaching me, a ceremony which among them is much used, that each one put his hand on the ground and kissed it; and so I stood waiting almost an hour until each one had made his ceremony.

So I went on along the causeway. Half a league before the main body of the city of Tenuxtitan, another causeway comes in from the mainland to join this one. At that point there is a very strong fort with two towers.5 It is enclosed by a wall twice a man's height, with a battlemented parapet all along the wall that takes in both causeways. It has only two gates, one to go in and one to go out. Here as many as a thousand leading men, citizens of the city, came out to see me and speak with me. They were all dressed alike, very richly by their custom. As each one came up to speak to me, he made a ceremony that they use a great deal: he put his hand on the ground and kissed it.6 So I stood waiting almost an hour, until each of them had made his ceremony.

I went on along the causeway. Near the city, another causeway comes in from the land to join this one. At that point there is a very strong fort with two towers, and a wall twice a man's height. It has only two gates, one to go in and one to go out. Here about a thousand leading men of the city came out to see me and speak with me. They were all dressed alike, very richly in their own way. Each one came up and did something they do very often. He put his hand on the ground and kissed it. I stood waiting almost an hour, until each of them had done it.

5. Later historians called it the fort of Xoloc; Maudslay locates it at Acachinanco, where the causeway from Coyoacan joined. Cortés made it his headquarters during the siege of 1521.
6. The edition prints pesaba, weighed; we read besaba, kissed, since Cortés describes the same gesture a little later as kissing the earth.

E ya junto á la ciudad está una puente de madera de diez pasos de anchura, y por allí está abierta la calzada, porque tenga lugar el agua de entrar y salir, porque crece y mengua, y tambien por fortaleza de la ciudad, porque quitan y ponen unas vigas muy luengas y anchas, de que la dicha puente está hecha, todas las veces que quieren, y destas hay muchas por toda la ciudad, como adelante, en la relacion que de las cosas della faré, V. A. verá.

And now next to the city there is a bridge of wood of ten paces in width, and there the causeway is open, so that the water may have room to enter and leave, because it rises and falls, and also for the strength of the city, because they remove and put back some very long and wide beams, of which the said bridge is made, every time they wish; and of these there are many through all the city, as further on, in the account that I will make of the things of it, Your Highness will see.

Right by the city, the causeway is cut open and crossed by a wooden bridge ten paces wide. The gap lets the water flow in and out, because it rises and falls. It is also for the city's defense, because they can take away and put back the very long, wide beams the bridge is made of whenever they wish. The city has many bridges like this, as Your Highness will see later, when I give my account of it.

Right by the city, the causeway is cut open and crossed by a wooden bridge. The gap lets the water flow in and out, because it rises and falls. It also helps defend the city. They can take away the long beams of the bridge whenever they wish, and put them back. The city has many bridges like this.

Pasada esta puente, nos salió á recebir aquel señor Muteczuma con fasta docientos señores, todos descalzos y vestidos de otra librea ó manera de ropa, asimismo bien rica á su uso, y mas que la de los otros; y venian en dos procesiones, muy arrimados á las paredes de la calle, que es muy ancha y muy hermosa y derecha, que de un cabo se parece el otro, y tiene dos tercios de legua, y de la una parte y de la otra muy buenas y grandes casas, así de aposentamientos como de mezquitas; y el dicho Muteczuma venia por medio de la calle con dos señores, el uno á la mano derecha y el otro á la izquierda; de los cuales el uno era aquel señor grande que dije que me habia salido á fablar en las andas, y el otro era su hermano del dicho Muteczuma, señor de aquella ciudad de Iztapalapa, de donde yo aquel dia habia partido; todos tres vestidos de una manera, excepto el Muteczuma, que iba calzado, y los otros dos señores descalzos: cada uno le llevaba de su brazo;

This bridge passed, that lord Muteczuma came out to receive us with up to two hundred lords, all barefoot and dressed in another livery or manner of clothing, likewise very rich in their use, and more than that of the others; and they came in two processions, very close to the walls of the street, which is very wide and very beautiful and straight, so that from one end the other is seen, and it has two thirds of a league, and on the one side and on the other very good and large houses, as much of dwellings as of mosques [mezquitas]; and the said Muteczuma came through the middle of the street with two lords, the one at the right hand and the other at the left; of whom the one was that great lord who I said had come out to speak to me in the litter, and the other was the brother of the said Muteczuma, lord of that city of Iztapalapa, from which I had departed that day; all three dressed in one manner, except the Muteczuma, who went shod, and the other two lords barefoot: each one held him by his arm;

When we had crossed this bridge, the lord Muteczuma himself came out to receive us,7 with some two hundred lords. They were all barefoot and dressed in another livery, or style of clothing, also very rich by their custom, and richer than that of the others. They came in two processions, keeping close to the walls of the street. The street is very wide, beautiful, and straight, so straight that one end can be seen from the other, though it runs for two thirds of a league. On both sides are very good, large houses, both dwellings and temples.8 Muteczuma came down the middle of the street with two lords, one on his right hand and the other on his left. One was the great lord who, as I said, had come out to speak to me in a litter.9 The other was Muteczuma's brother, lord of Iztapalapa, the city I had set out from that day.10 All three were dressed alike, except that Muteczuma wore shoes and the other two lords were barefoot. Each of them held him by an arm.

After we crossed this bridge, Moctezuma himself came out to meet us.2 About two hundred lords came with him. They were all barefoot, and dressed even more richly than the others. They came in two lines, close to the walls of the street. The street is very wide and beautiful. It runs for about two miles, so straight that you can see from one end to the other. On both sides are large, fine houses and temples. Moctezuma came down the middle of the street with two lords, one on each side. One was a young lord who had met me earlier, carried in a litter. The other was Moctezuma's brother, the lord of Iztapalapa. All three were dressed alike. But Moctezuma wore shoes, and the other two were barefoot. Each of them held him by an arm.

7. Moctezuma II, ruler of the Mexica. Cortés writes his name Muteczuma.
8. Cortés calls the temples mezquitas, mosques, the word Spaniards used for the places of worship of the Muslims of Spain.
9. Earlier in the letter a young lord of about twenty-five, carried in a litter, met Cortés with Moctezuma's greetings. Prescott identifies him as Cacama, Moctezuma's nephew and lord of Texcoco.
10. Prescott identifies this lord as Cuitlahuac. Bernal Díaz says the lords of Texcoco, Iztapalapa, Tacuba and Coyoacan went ahead to meet Moctezuma, and that great lords held him by the arms.

y como nos juntamos, yo me apeé, y le fuí á abrazar solo: é aquellos dos señores que con él iban me detuvieron con las manos para que no le tocase; y ellos y él ficieron asimismo ceremonia de besar la tierra; y hecha, mandó á aquel su hermano que venia con él que se quedase conmigo y me llevase por el brazo, y él con el otro se iba adelante de mi poquito trecho; y después de me haber él fablado, vinieron asimismo á me fablar todos los otros señores que iban en las dos procesiones, en órden uno en pos de otro, é luego se tornaban á su procesion.

and when we came together, I dismounted, and went to embrace him alone: and those two lords who went with him stopped me with their hands so that I should not touch him; and they and he likewise made the ceremony of kissing the earth; and this done, he ordered that brother of his who came with him to stay with me and lead me by the arm, and he with the other went ahead of me a little way; and after he had spoken to me, there came likewise to speak to me all the other lords who went in the two processions, in order one after another, and then they returned to their procession.

When we met, I got down from my horse and went forward alone to embrace him. But the two lords with him stopped me with their hands, so that I would not touch him. Then they and he also made the ceremony of kissing the earth. When it was done, he told his brother, who was with him, to stay with me and lead me by the arm. He himself went a little way ahead of me with the other lord. When he had finished speaking with me, the other lords of the two processions came up one after another, in order, to speak to me too. Then they went back to their places.

When we met, I got down from my horse and went forward alone to embrace him. But the two lords stopped me with their hands, so that I would not touch him. Then they and Moctezuma kissed the earth. After that, he told his brother to stay with me and lead me by the arm. He himself walked a little ahead of me with the other lord. Next, the lords of the two lines came up one by one to speak to me. Then they went back to their places.

E al tiempo que yo llegué á hablar al dicho Muteczuma, quitéme un collar que llevaba de margaritas y diamantes de vidrio, y se lo eché al cuello; é después de haber andado la calle adelante, vino un servidor suyo con dos collares de camarones, envueltos en un paño, que eran hechos de huesos de caracoles colorados, que ellos tienen en mucho; y de cada collar colgaban ocho camarones de oro, de mucha perfeccion, tan largos casi como un geme; é como se los trujeron, se volvió á mi y me los echó al cuello, y tornó á seguir por la calle en la forma ya dicha, fasta llegar á una muy grande y hermosa casa, que él tenia para nos aposentar, bien aderezada.

And at the time that I came to speak to the said Muteczuma, I took off a collar that I was wearing of pearls [margaritas] and diamonds of glass, and put it on his neck; and after having gone forward along the street, a servant of his came with two collars of shrimps [camarones], wrapped in a cloth, which were made of the bones [shells] of red snails, which they hold in much [esteem]; and from each collar hung eight shrimps of gold, of much perfection, almost as long as a geme [span]; and when they brought them to him, he turned to me and put them on my neck, and went on again along the street in the form already said, until arriving at a very large and beautiful house, which he had to lodge us, well prepared.

When I first came up to Muteczuma to speak with him, I took from my own neck a necklace of pearls and glass diamonds and hung it around his. After we had walked some way along the street, a servant of his came with two shrimp necklaces wrapped in a cloth. They were made of red shells, which they value highly, and from each necklace hung eight shrimps of gold, finely made, almost a span long.11 When they were brought to him, he turned to me and put them around my neck. Then he went on along the street in the same order as before. At last we came to a very large and beautiful house, well furnished, which he had ready for our lodging.12

When I first met Moctezuma, I took off my own necklace of pearls and glass. I hung it around his neck. After we had walked some way along the street, a servant brought him two necklaces wrapped in a cloth. They were made of red shells, which they value highly. From each necklace hung eight shrimps of gold, finely made, about five inches long. He turned to me and put them around my neck. Then we went on along the street until we came to a very large and beautiful house. He had it ready for us to stay in.

11. A geme was the span from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the forefinger. Gayangos gives it as a sixth of a Castilian vara, about five and a half inches.
12. Prescott places the Spaniards' lodging in the palace of Axayacatl, Moctezuma's father, facing the great temple.

E alli me tomó por la mano y me llevó à una gran sala, que estaba frontero de un patio por do entramos. E allí me fizo sentar en un estrado muy rico, que para él lo tenia mandado hacer, y me dijo que le esperase allí, y él se fué, y dende á poco rato, ya que toda la gente de mi compañía estaba aposentada, volvió con muchas y diversas joyas de oro y plata, y plumajes, y con fasta cinco ó seis mil piezas de ropa de algodon, muy ricas y de diversas maneras tejidas y labradas.

And there he took me by the hand and led me to a great hall, which was facing a courtyard by which we entered. And there he made me sit on a very rich dais [estrado], which he had ordered to be made for himself, and he told me to wait for him there, and he went, and after a short while, when all the people of my company were lodged, he returned with many and diverse jewels of gold and silver, and featherwork, and with up to five or six thousand pieces of cotton cloth, very rich and woven and worked in diverse ways.

There he took my hand and brought me into a great hall, facing the courtyard we had come in by. He had me sit on a very rich dais, which he had ordered made for him, and told me to wait for him there, and he went away. A little later, once all my company had been lodged, he came back. He brought many kinds of gold and silver jewelry, and featherwork, and as many as five or six thousand pieces of cotton cloth, very rich, woven and worked in many different ways.

Left out of this version.

E después de me las haber dado, se sentó en otro estrado, que luego le ficieron allí junto con el otro donde yo estaba; y sentado, propuso en esta manera:

And after having given them to me, he sat on another dais, which they then made for him there next to the other where I was; and seated, he spoke in this manner:

After he had given me these things, he sat down on another dais, which they set up for him there beside mine. Seated there, he spoke in this way:

Left out of this version.

Las casas ya las veis que son de piedra y cal y tierra. » Y entonces alzó las vestiduras y me mostró el cuerpo, diciendo á mi: « Veisme aquí que so de carne y hueso como vos y como cada uno, y que soy mortal y palpable. » Asiéndose él con sus manos de los brazos y del cuerpo, « Ved cómo os han mentido; verdad es que yo tengo algunas cosas de oro que me han quedado de mis abuelos: todo lo que yo tuviere teneis cada vez que vos lo quisiéredes. Yo me voy á otras casas, donde vivo; aquí seréis proveido de todas las cosas necesarias para vos y vuestra gente, é no recibais pena alguna, pues estáis en vuestra casa y naturaleza. »

[...] “The houses, now you see that they are of stone and lime and earth.” And then he raised his garments and showed me his body, saying to me: “See me here, that I am of flesh and bone like you and like each one, and that I am mortal and palpable.” Grasping with his hands his arms and his body, “See how they have lied to you; true it is that I have some things of gold which have remained to me from my grandfathers: all that I may have you have whenever you may want it. I am going to other houses, where I live; here you will be provided with all the things necessary for you and your people, and do not take any trouble, since you are in your house and native land.”

13 “As for my houses, you can see that they are made of stone, lime, and earth.” Then he lifted his clothes and showed me his body, and said to me, “Look at me. I am flesh and bone, like you and like everyone, mortal and solid to the touch.” He took hold of his arms and his body with his hands. “See how they have lied to you. It is true that some gold things have come down to me from my forefathers. Whatever I have is yours whenever you want it. Now I am going back to the other houses where I live. Here you will be given everything you and your people need. Do not be troubled by anything, for this is your own house and your own land.”

Left out of this version.

13. In the cut lines, Moctezuma takes Charles for the heir of his people's ancient lord, promises to obey Cortés in his place, and says enemies told Cortés his houses had gold walls and he made himself a god.

Esta gran ciudad de Tenuxtitan está fundada en esta laguna salada, y desde la tierra firme hasta el cuerpo de la dicha ciudad, por cualquiera parte que quisieren entrar á ella, hay dos leguas. Tiene cuatro entradas, todas de calzada hecha á mano, tan ancha como dos lanzas jinetas. Es tan grande la ciudad como Sevilla y Córdoba. Son las calles della, digo las principales, muy anchas y muy derechas, y algunas destas y todas las demás son la mitad de tierra, y por la otra mitad es agua, por la cual andan en sus canoas, y todas las calles de trecho á trecho están abiertas pordo atraviesa el agua de las unas á las otras, é en todas estas aberturas, que algunas son muy anchas, hay sus puentes de muy anchas y muy grandes vigas juntas y recias y bien labradas; y tales, que por muchas dellas pueden pasar diez de caballo juntos á la par.

[...] This great city of Tenuxtitan is founded in this salt lake, and from the mainland to the body of the said city, by whatever side they may wish to enter it, there are two leagues. It has four entrances, all of causeway made by hand, as wide as two jineta lances. The city is as large as Seville and Córdoba. The streets of it, I mean the main ones, are very wide and very straight, and some of these and all the others are the half of earth, and by the other half is water, by which they go in their canoes, and all the streets from stretch to stretch are open where the water crosses from some to others, and in all these openings, some of which are very wide, there are their bridges of very wide and very large beams joined and strong and well worked; and such that over many of them ten on horseback can pass together abreast.

This great city of Tenuxtitan is built in the salt lake. From the mainland to the main body of the city it is two leagues, by whichever side you enter. It has four entrances, all along causeways built by hand, each as wide as two light-horse lances. The city is the size of Seville and Córdoba.14 Its streets, I mean the main ones, are very wide and very straight. Some of the main streets, and all the others, are half land and half water, and along the water they go in their canoes.15 All the streets are cut open at intervals, so that the water crosses from one to another. Every one of these gaps, and some are very wide, has a bridge of very wide, very large beams, joined together, strong, and well finished. Over many of them ten horsemen can ride side by side.16

This great city of Tenochtitlan is built in the salt lake. It has four ways in, all along causeways built by hand. The city is as big as Seville and Córdoba, two great cities in Spain. Its main streets are very wide and very straight. Some of these, and all the smaller streets, are half land and half water. Along the water, people travel in their canoes. All the streets are cut open here and there, so the water can flow from one to another. Every gap has a bridge of big, strong beams. Over many of them, ten horsemen can ride side by side.

14. Two great cities of Andalusia, in southern Spain.
15. The streets were partly canals: a path of earth beside a channel of water, used by canoes carrying people and goods.
16. The Spaniards learned how easily these bridges could be removed on the night of June 30 to July 1, 1520, when they carried a portable bridge to cross the gaps as they fled.