of the captains, friendly to Cortés, ridiculed the story as a dream, and entertained the general with speculations about the projects of the audacious rebel.[1] While so occupied the alarm of the sentinels was heard. Cortés was upon them.[2] Narvaez at once became the self-possessed commander, and hastened to issue the necessary orders. There was a rush to arms, and the confusion was increased by the appearance of innumerable fire-flies, which the besieged mistook for the fire-arms and spears of a large army.[3]
In order to avoid the range of the guns, Cortés had kept his men along the sides of the approaches, and on finding himself discovered he shouted, "Close with them! At them!" Fife and drum joined in and echoed the cry.[4] Olid rushed on the battery, ranged along a terrace on the ascent to the commander's house. So sudden was the attack that those of the artillerymen who still remained loyal had time to discharge only one gun, which killed two men.[5] The next instant Olid, Pizarro, and their followers had practically secured the pieces, and were pressing the defenders, who offered little resistance. At the same time
- ↑ Expressing the belief that Cortés would be foolhardy enough to attack in the morning. Tapia, Rel., in Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., ii. 589.
- ↑ 'Llegamos junto á las centinelas sin que nos sintiesen, é iban huyendo é diciendo: Arma, arma!' Id., 590. Auisado Naruaez, y se estaua vistiendo vna cota: y dixo aquiē le auisò, no tengays pena, y mandò tocar al arma.' Herrera, dec. ii. lib. x. cap. iii.
- ↑ Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 99, calls the flies cocayos.
- ↑ Prescott, following Herrera, makes Cortés shout the password 'Espíritu Santo,' which Bernal Diaz says was given as a secret word for mutual recognition.
- ↑ So say all the original authorities that refer to it, except Bernal Diaz, who claims that four guns were fired, three balls passing overhead and the fourth killing three men. Cortés acknowledges no casualties from it. Tapia even intimates that no discharge took place, owing to the fact that to protect the touch-holes from rain they lad been covered with wax and tiles. Confused by the sudden alarm the artillerists applied the mateh, forgetful of the wax, and 'we saw that the charges failed to go off.' Rel., in Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., ii. 590. Perhaps he would have been more correct in saying that the men were confused by the glittering bribes of Usagre. Bachiller A. Perez testifies: 'Dixo al artillero poned fuego a estos tiros. . . .puso fuego e no salieron los tiros e oyo dezir este testigo que avian puesto cera en los dichos tiros.' Cortés, Residencia, ii. 85. This implies that the wax had been smeared on by accomplices.
