The Siege of Tenochtitlan

Otro dia de mañana los dos capitanes acordaron, cómo yo les habia mandado, de ir á quitar el agua dulce que por caños entraba á la ciudad de Tenuxtitan; y el uno dellos, con veinte de caballo y ciertos ballesteros y escopeteros, fué al nacimiento de la fuente, que estaba un cuarto de legua de alli, y cortó y quebró los caños, que eran de madera y de cal y canto, y peleó reciamente con los de la ciudad, que se le defendian por la mar y por la tierra; y al fin los desbarató, y dió conclusion á lo que iba, que era quitarles el agua dulce que entraba á la ciudad, que fué muy grande ardid.

The next day in the morning the two captains agreed, as I had ordered them, to go to take away the sweet water that through pipes entered the city of Tenuxtitan; and one of them, with twenty horse and certain crossbowmen and musketeers, went to the source of the spring, which was a quarter of a league from there, and cut and broke the pipes, which were of wood and of lime and stone, and fought hard with those of the city, who defended themselves against him by the sea [lake] and by the land; and in the end he routed them, and brought to a conclusion what he went for, which was to take from them the sweet water that entered the city, which was a very great stratagem.

The next morning the two captains agreed, as I had ordered, to go and cut off the fresh water that flowed into the city of Tenuxtitan through pipes.1 One of them went to the source of the spring, a quarter of a league from there, with twenty horsemen and some crossbowmen and musketeers. He cut and broke the pipes, which were made of wood and of stone and mortar. He fought hard with the people of the city, who defended it against him from the water and from the land. In the end he routed them and did what he had gone to do, which was to cut off the fresh water that came into the city. That was a very great stroke.

1. Tenochtitlan, the Mexica capital, built on islands in the salt lake; present-day Mexico City. The two captains were Pedro de Alvarado and Cristóbal de Olid, camped at Tacuba (Tlacopan) on the western shore.

Cómo los de Iztapalapa habian hecho ahumadas desde unas torres de ídolos que estaban en un cerro muy alto junto á su ciudad, los de Tenuxtitan y de las otras ciudades que están en el agua conocieron que yo entraba ya por la laguna con los bergantines, y de improviso juntóse tan grande flota de canoas para nos venir á acometer y á tentar qué cosa eran los bergantines; y á lo que podimos juzgar, pasaban de quinientas canoas. E cómo yo vi que traian su derrota derecha á nosotros, yo y la gente que habiamos saltado en aquel cerro grande, nos embarcamos á mucha priesa, y mandé á los capitanes de los bergantines que en ninguna manera se moviesen, porque los de las canoas se determinasen á nos acometer, y creyesen que nosotros de temor no osábamos salir á ellos; y así, comenzaron con mucho ímpetu de encaminar su flota hácia nosotros. Pero á obra de dos tiros de ballesta reparáronse y estuvieron quedos; y cómo yo deseaba mucho que el primer reencuentro que con ellos hobiésemos fuese de mucha victoria, y se hiciese de manera que ellos cobrasen mucho temor de los bergantines, porque la llave de toda la guerra estaba en ellos, y donde ellos podian recibir mas daño, y aun nosotros tambien, era por el agua, plugo á nuestro Señor que, estándonos mirando los unos á los otros, vino un viento de la tierra muy favorable para embestir con ellos; y luego mandé á los capitanes que rompiesen por la flota de las canoas, y siguiesen tras ellos fasta los encerrar en la ciudad de Tenuxtitan; y cómo el viento era muy bueno, aunque ellos huian cuanto podian, embestimos por medio dellos, y quebramos infinitas canoas, y matamos y ahogamos muchos de los enemigos, que era la cosa del mundo mas para ver. Y en este alcance los seguimos bien tres leguas grandes, fasta los encerrar en las casas de la ciudad; é así, plugo á nuestro Señor de nos dar mayor y mejor victoria que nosotros habiamos pedido y deseado.

As those of Iztapalapa had made smoke signals from some towers of idols that were on a very high hill next to their city, those of Tenuxtitan and of the other cities that are in the water knew that I was now entering the lake with the brigantines, and suddenly so great a fleet of canoes gathered to come to attack us and to test what thing the brigantines were; and as far as we could judge, they were more than five hundred canoes. And as I saw that they held their course straight toward us, I and the people who had landed on that great hill embarked in great haste, and I ordered the captains of the brigantines that in no way should they move, so that those of the canoes would decide to attack us, and would believe that we out of fear did not dare to go out to them; and so they began with great force to direct their fleet toward us. But at about two crossbow shots they halted and stayed still; and as I wished much that the first encounter we had with them should be of great victory, and be done in such a way that they would take great fear of the brigantines, because the key of the whole war was in them, and where they could receive most harm, and even we too, was by the water, it pleased our Lord that, while we were looking at each other, there came a wind from the land very favorable for charging them; and at once I ordered the captains to break through the fleet of the canoes, and follow after them until shutting them up in the city of Tenuxtitan; and as the wind was very good, although they fled as much as they could, we charged through the middle of them, and broke countless canoes, and killed and drowned many of the enemies, which was the thing in the world most to be seen. And in this pursuit we followed them a good three great leagues, until shutting them up in the houses of the city; and so it pleased our Lord to give us a greater and better victory than we had asked for and desired.

The people of Iztapalapa had sent up smoke signals from some idol towers on a very high hill beside their city.2 So the people of Tenuxtitan and of the other cities that stand in the water knew that I was now coming onto the lake with the brigantines.3 At once a huge fleet of canoes gathered to come and attack us and find out what sort of things the brigantines were. As far as we could judge, there were more than five hundred canoes. When I saw them heading straight for us, the men who had landed with me on that great hill and I got back on board in great haste. I ordered the captains of the brigantines not to move at all, so that the people in the canoes would make up their minds to attack, thinking we were too afraid to come out against them. And so they began to bring their fleet toward us with great force. But about two crossbow shots away they stopped and held still. I wanted very much for our first encounter with them to be a great victory, and to make them deeply afraid of the brigantines. The key to the whole war lay in the brigantines, for it was on the water that the enemy could suffer the most harm, and so could we. And it pleased our Lord that, while we were watching each other, a wind sprang up from the land, just right for charging them. At once I ordered the captains to break through the fleet of canoes and chase them until they were shut up in the city of Tenuxtitan. The wind was very good, and though they fled as fast as they could, we drove right through the middle of them. We broke countless canoes and killed and drowned many of the enemy. It was the greatest sight in the world. We chased them a good three long leagues,4 until we had shut them up among the houses of the city. So it pleased our Lord to give us a greater and better victory than we had asked or hoped for.

2. Iztapalapa stood on a point of land between the salt lake and the freshwater lakes to the south. Cortés had just stormed a fortified rock in the lake nearby.
3. Small ships with sails and oars, each carrying twenty-five Spaniards. Earlier in the letter Cortés says they were built in pieces at Tlaxcala and carried eighteen leagues overland by more than eight thousand men.
4. A league was roughly the distance a person could walk in an hour.

Cómo ya conocimos que los indios de la ciudad estaban muy amedrentados; supimos de unos dos dellos de poca manera, que de noche se habian salido de la ciudad y se habian venido á nuestro real, que se morian de hambre, que salian de noche á pescar por entre las casas de la ciudad, y andaban por la parte que della les teniamos ganada buscando leña y yerbas y raíces que comer.

As we already knew that the Indians of the city were very frightened; we learned from some two of them of little rank, who at night had gone out of the city and had come to our camp, that they were dying of hunger, that they went out at night to fish among the houses of the city, and went about the part of it that we had won from them looking for firewood and herbs and roots to eat.

We could tell by now that the Indians of the city were badly frightened. Two of them, common people, slipped out of the city at night and came to our camp. From them we learned that the people were dying of hunger. They came out at night to fish among the houses of the city, and wandered through the part of it we had taken, looking for firewood, plants, and roots to eat.

Y Pedro de Albarado dejaba recaudo de gente en las espaldas y lados, así para conservar lo ganado como para su defensa; y cómo luego se aderezó el paso, yo con algunos de caballo me fui á ver el mercado, y mandé á la gente de nuestro real que no pasasen adelante de aquel paso. E después que anduvimos un rato paseándonos por la plaza, mirando los portales della, los cuales por las azoteas estaban llenos de enemigos, é cómo la plaza era muy grande y veian por ella andar los de caballo, no osaban llegar; y yo subí en aquella torre grande que está junto al mercado, y en ella tambien y en otras hallamos ofrecidas ante sus ídolos las cabezas de los cristianos que nos habian muerto, y de los indios de Tascaltecal nuestros amigos, entre quien siempre ha habido muy antigua y cruel enemistad. E yo miré dende aquella torre lo que teniamos ganado de la ciudad, que sin duda de ocho partes teniamos ganado las siete; é viendo que tanto número de gente de los enemigos no era posible sufrirse en tanta angostura, mayormente que aquellas casas que les quedaban eran pequeñas, y puesta cada una dellas sobre si en el agua, y sobre todo la grandísima hambre que entre ellos habia, y que por las calles hallábamos roidas las raíces y cortezas de los árboles, acordé de los dejar de combatir por algun dia, y movelles algun partido por donde no pereciese tanta multitud de gente; que cierto me ponia en mucha lástima y dolor el daño que en ellos se hacia, y continuamente les hacia acometer con la paz; y ellos decian que en ninguna manera se habian de dar, y que uno solo que quedase habia de morir peleando, y que de todo lo que tenian no habiamos de haber ninguna cosa, y que lo habian de quemar y echar al agua, donde nunca pareciese; y yo, por no o dar mal por mal, disimulaba en no les dar combate.

And Pedro de Albarado left a guard of men at the back and sides, both to keep what was won and for his defense; and as soon as the crossing was repaired, I with some on horse went to see the market, and ordered the people of our camp not to go beyond that crossing. And after we had walked a while strolling through the square, looking at its arcades, which along the flat roofs were full of enemies, and as the square was very large and they saw the horsemen going about it, they did not dare to come near; and I climbed that great tower that is next to the market, and in it also and in others we found offered before their idols the heads of the Christians that they had killed of ours, and of the Indians of Tascaltecal our friends, between whom there has always been very old and cruel enmity. And I looked from that tower at what we had won of the city, that without doubt of eight parts we had won the seven; and seeing that so great a number of people of the enemies could not possibly endure in such narrowness, especially as those houses that remained to them were small, and each one of them set by itself in the water, and above all the very great hunger that there was among them, and that through the streets we found gnawed the roots and barks of the trees, I decided to leave off fighting them for some day, and to put to them some terms by which so great a multitude of people would not perish; for certainly the harm that was done in them put me in much pity and pain, and continually I had them approached with peace; and they said that in no way would they give themselves up, and that one alone who remained had to die fighting, and that of all that they had we were not to have anything, and that they would burn it and throw it into the water, where it would never appear; and I, so as not to give evil for evil, held back [dissembled] in not giving them battle.

Pedro de Alvarado5 left men to guard his rear and flanks, both to hold what had been won and to protect himself. As soon as the crossing was repaired, I rode with a few horsemen to see the market, and ordered the men of our camp not to go beyond that crossing. We rode about the square for a while, looking at its arcades. The flat roofs above them were full of enemies, but the square was very large, and they could see our horsemen moving about it, so they did not dare come near. I climbed the great tower beside the market.6 There, and in other towers, we found the heads of the Christians they had killed, set out as offerings before their idols, and the heads of our friends the Indians of Tascaltecal.7 Between those two peoples there has always been a very old and cruel hatred. From that tower I looked out over the part of the city we had won. Without doubt, we held seven parts out of eight. I saw that so many enemies could not possibly hold out crowded into so small a space. The houses they had left were small, and each one stood by itself in the water. Above all, the hunger among them was terrible: in the streets we found the roots and bark of the trees gnawed. So I decided to stop fighting them for a day or so and to offer them some terms, so that so many people would not die. Truly, the harm being done to them filled me with pity and grief, and I kept sending to offer them peace. But they said they would never surrender. Even if only one of them were left, he would die fighting, and of all they had we would get nothing, for they would burn it or throw it into the water where it would never be found. And I, so as not to return evil for evil, held off from attacking them.

5. One of Cortés's chief captains, who held the camp at Tacuba (Tlacopan) during the siege.
6. The temple pyramid of Tlatelolco, beside the great market Cortés describes in his second letter (see The Great Market of Tenochtitlan).
7. Tlaxcala, east of the Valley of Mexico, whose people had long been at war with the Mexica and were Cortés's chief allies.

Otro dia después de asentado el trabuco, volvimos á la ciudad, y cómo ya habia tres ó cuatro dias que no los combatiamos, hallamos las calles por donde ibamos llenas de mujeres y niños y otra gente miserable que se morian de hambre, y salian traspasados y flacos, que era la mayor lástima del mundo de los ver: y yo mandé á nuestros amigos que no les ficiesen daño alguno; pero de la gente de guerra no salia ninguno adonde pudiese recibir daño, aunque los veiamos estar encima de sus azoteas cubiertos con sus mantas, que usan, y sin armas;

Another day after the trebuchet was set up, we returned to the city, and as there had now been three or four days that we had not fought them, we found the streets where we went full of women and children and other miserable people who were dying of hunger, and came out pierced [wasted] and thin, which was the greatest pity in the world to see them: and I ordered our friends that they should do them no harm at all; but of the people of war none came out where he could receive harm, although we saw them standing on top of their flat roofs covered with their cloaks, which they use, and without arms;

The day after the catapult was set up,8 we went back into the city. We had not fought them for three or four days, and we found the streets we passed through full of women and children and other wretched people who were dying of hunger. They came out worn to the bone and thin, the most pitiful sight in the world. I ordered our friends to do them no harm. But none of the warriors came out where they could be hurt, though we could see them standing on their flat roofs, wrapped in the cloaks they wear, and unarmed.

8. A trabuco, a stone-throwing engine. The Spaniards were short of gunpowder, so some carpenters offered to build one and set it up in the market square, but it never worked.

Y cómo en estos conciertos se pasaron mas de cinco horas, y los de la ciudad estaban todos encima de los muertos, y otros en el agua, y otros andaban nadando, y otros ahogándose en aquel lago donde estaban las canoas, que era grande, era tanta la pena que tenian, que no bastaba juicio á pensar cómo lo podian sufrir; y no hacian sino salirse infinito número de hombres y mujeres y niños hácia nosotros. Y por darse priesa al salir, unos á otros se echaban al agua, y se ahogaban entre aquella multitud de muertos; que, segun pareció, del agua salada que bebian, y de la hambre y mal olor, habia dado tanta mortandad en ellos, que murieron mas de cincuenta mil ánimas. Los cuerpos de las cuales, porque nosotros no alcanzásemos su necesidad, ni los echaban al agua, porque los bergantines no topasen con ellos, ni los echaban fuera de su conversacion, porque nosotros por la ciudad no los viésemos; y así por aquellas calles en que estaban, hallábamos los montones de los muertos, que no habia persona que en otra cosa pudiese poner los piés; y como la gente de la ciudad se salia á nosotros, yo habia proveido que por todas las calles estuviesen españoles para estorbar que nuestros amigos no matasen á aquellos tristes que salian, que era sin cuento.

And as in these negotiations more than five hours passed, and those of the city were all on top of the dead, and others in the water, and others went swimming, and others drowning in that lake where the canoes were, which was large, so great was the suffering that they had, that judgment did not suffice to think how they could bear it; and they did nothing but come out, an infinite number of men and women and children, toward us. And by hurrying to come out, they threw one another into the water, and drowned among that multitude of dead; for, as it appeared, from the salt water that they drank, and from the hunger and bad smell, so great a mortality had come among them that more than fifty thousand souls died. The bodies of whom, so that we should not learn of their need, they neither threw into the water, so that the brigantines would not come upon them, nor threw out of their dwelling place [conversación], so that we would not see them through the city; and so through those streets where they were, we found the heaps of the dead, so that there was no person who could put his feet on anything else; and as the people of the city came out to us, I had provided that through all the streets there should be Spaniards to prevent our friends from killing those wretched ones who came out, who were without number.

These talks went on for more than five hours. Meanwhile the people of the city were all standing on top of their dead. Others were in the water, some swimming and some drowning in that lake where the canoes were, which was large. Their suffering was so great that the mind could not grasp how they could bear it. Men, women, and children kept pouring out toward us in countless numbers. In their hurry to get out, they pushed one another into the water and drowned among that great mass of dead. It seemed that from the salt water they drank, and from hunger and the stench, so many had died among them that more than fifty thousand people perished.9 They did not throw the bodies into the water, where the brigantines might come upon them, nor carry them out of the places where they lived, where we would see them in the city. They did this so that we would not find out how desperate they were. So in the streets where they were, we found heaps of dead, so many that there was nowhere to put one's feet. As the people of the city came out toward us, I had placed Spaniards in all the streets to stop our friends from killing those wretched people coming out, who were beyond counting.

9. Cortés's own estimate. No count was made, and it cannot be checked.