[1172] ‘Sacrificados los Nuestros, en el Momoztli, y Templo de su Maior Dios,’ observes Torquemada, i. 553, among other points, though all are not exactly true. Huitzilopochtli’s image had been brought with the retreating Mexicans to Tlatelulco. ‘Immediatamente sacrificati,’ says Clavigero, Storia Mess., iii. 212, probably on authority of Gomara; but Bernal Diaz states that the sacrifices lasted ten days, Hist. Verdad., 150; others write eight; one victim is said to have been kept eighteen days. See also Sahagun, Hist. Conq., 192. Ixtlilxochitl states that three victims were burned. Hor. Crueldades, 39.
[1173] A count revealed the loss of 62 men and 6 horses, says Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 146, 152, 241, though he in one place leaves the impression that the men were all captured alive. This could hardly be the case, for a ‘count’ would reveal only the missing; none could tell how many fell captive. Yet Prescott boldly assumes this number to have been taken, besides those who fell. Vetancurt divides the figures into 40 captives and 20 dead, Teatro Mex., pt. iii. 162, and Clavigero also includes dead and captive in that number, while raising the dead horses to 7. Storia Mess., iii. 212. Solis writes that over 40 Spaniards were carried off alive, and that Alvarado and Sandoval lost 20. Hist. Mex., ii. 410. Bernal Diaz acknowledges only a third of such loss between these two captains. Gomara gives 40 captives, several killed, 3 or 4 horses lost, and over 30 wounded. Hist. Mex., 205-6. Ixtlilxochitl raises the allied loss to over 2000. Hor. Crueldades, 37-9. Fifty-three Spaniards, says Sahagun, Hist. Conq., 192. In the cédula of March 7, 1525, granting a coat-of-arms to Cortés, 50 are mentioned, but in his letter to the sovereign the general acknowledges only 35 to 40 and over 1000 allies. Herrera and Torquemada adopt these figures. Oviedo, iii. 516, lowers the number to 30. Duran, who confounds the late repulse of Alvarado with the Sorrowful Night and this defeat, allows 4 banners to be captured. Hist. Ind., MS., ii. 501-4, 508.
[1174] Bernal Diaz gives this conversation with some detail, and names Treasurer Alderete as the guilty officer who neglected to fill the channel, intimating that Cortés had been heedlessly allured onward by the Mexicans, leaving Alderete to attend to the filling. He even allows the treasurer to retort to the charge, in Sandoval’s presence, that Cortés’ eagerness had been the cause of the neglect. This is probably an invented account, based on Gomara’s statement that the ‘treasurer,’ no name being given, neglected to fill a channel on his route. Informed of this, Cortés hastened thither to remedy the fault, only to meet the fleeing. Herrera adopts this version, as do most writers, including Prescott; but it is evidently wrong, for Cortés writes clearly that the misfortune occurred on his own route, some distance above its junction with the Tlacopan road, to which they soon retreated. On reaching this road he sent to recall the ‘treasurer and comptroller,’ who were leading their division victoriously at the farther end of it. Owing to their care in filling channels ‘they received no injury in retreating.’ Cartas, 233-4. There can be little doubt about this statement, since Cortés would have been only too glad to cast the blame on any other division than his own. He does not even claim to have been at the front, but in the rear, and near the spot where the neglect occurred. The only question then is, who was the guilty officer? The ‘treasurer’ commanded the centre division, and although there were several treasurers, the royal, late and new, and he who acted for the army, yet the new royal treasurer is undoubtedly meant, and this appears to have been Alderete, according to the statement of several authorities. Hence the accusation against Alderete must be wrong; anything besides this must be conjecture.
[1175] ‘Bolviò à la grita, Andrés de Tapia [the captain of his party] matò mas de sesenta Mexicanos,’ adds Torquemada, i. 558-9.
[1176] ‘Esto no fue sino cinco dias.’ Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 149.
[1177] Similar women of courage were María de Estrada, the heroine of Otumba, Beatriz de Escobar, Juana Martin, and Beatriz de Palacios. Herrera, dec. iii. lib. ii. cap. i.
[1178] Oil was the chief remedy. Torquemada, i. 558-60. Bernal Diaz speaks of a soldier named Juan Catalan who performed cures with the sign of the cross and psalm-singing. The Tlascaltecs also besieged the man for his attentions. ‘Y verdaderamente digo, que hallauamos que Nuestro Señor Iesu Christo era servido de darnos esfuerço, ... y de presto sanauan.’ Not twenty of Alvarado’s men were free from wounds at this time. Hist. Verdad., 142. Solis allows this wonderful healing power to be attributed to no woman. Hist. Mex., ii. 412. But then he was a strict priest, who saw woman chiefly as a feeble and adoring supplicant.
[1179] ‘Que de ai a ocho dias no auia de quedar ninguno de nosotros a vida, porque assi se lo auian prometido la noche antes sus Dioses.’ Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 149.
[1180] Solis, Hist. Mex., ii. 415, states, and Prescott hastily affirms, that nearly all the allies deserted, and Bernal Diaz enumerates the mere handful that remained; but this must be erroneous, as shown by the course of the narratives in general. Two expeditions were sent forth about this time, and the large number of allies which joined therein may account in part for the gaps which gave rise to the above exaggeration. Cortés, indeed, alludes very indirectly to any defection.
[1181] Forty thousand, says Ixtlilxochitl, obtained chiefly from Quauhnahuac and other towns subject to Tezcuco. Hor. Crueldades, 40. Herrera and others mention no auxiliaries from the camp. Bernal Diaz is confused.