nothing. When, however, we went with Guatemoc to the houses in which he had lived, and he took us to a stone reservoir of water, we fished up a sun of gold like the one Montezuma gave us, and besides many jewels and trinkets.
The cacique of Tacuba also told us that he had hidden rich things in gold in some houses twelve miles off, and if we would take him there he would tell us where he had burled them. So Alvarado and six soldiers went, and I was one. But when we came to the spot, the cacique said he had made up the story so as to be killed, and we were to kill him at once, for he had neither gold nor jewels. We went back without any treasure and there was no more casting of gold bars. It is undoubtedly true that little was left in the treasury of Montezuma when it came into the hands of Guatemoc, for Montezuma had taken the best for his offerings to us—which he had sent to our king.
I think there was some truth in what Guatemoc told about his having thrown gold and other things into the lake. By diving I and other soldiers proved this a fact. We were always able to bring up some piece of small value—which Cortes and the royal treasurer promptly demanded of us as gold belonging to his majesty. They themselves went with good divers to this spot, where they found ducks, dogs, pendants and small necklaces, a matter of say a
