way came in. They had parried attacks from canoes, and after hard fighting, aided by a strong wind and the energy of their oars, had broken the stakes between which they were jammed, and, every man on board wounded, had returned. In all haste Cortes now despatched Sandoval to Tacuba to see how matters went with our division, sending Lugo with him. "Go, my son," said Cortes. "You see I am wounded and can not. Rescue the three divisions and inspire them with hope. Alvarado and his brothers have fought valiantly and defended themselves as gentlemen should, I well know, but I fear these hosts of dogs have overwhelmed them. How I fared you see."
Sandoval and Lugo found the Mexicans still storming our camp from that side the causeway where we had pulled down houses, and now they had driven one sloop between stakes and two of the soldiers in it lay dead and others wounded. When Sandoval saw me and six others standing waist deep in the water, he shouted, "Oh, brothers, put your strength to it and keep them from seizing the sloop"; and we then made such a drive that we soon hauled the boat to a safe place. Still many companies of Mexicans came nearer and struck at all of us, and gave Sandoval a blow with a stone in the face, till he ordered us to retreat little by little so they might not kill our horses. But we were slower than he
