Chapter 5

THE FALL OF THE LAKE CITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

The Valley of Mexico--The City and the Causeways--The _Conquistadores_ enter Mexico City--Meeting of Cortes and Montezuma--Greeting of the Aztec emperor to the Spaniards--Tradition of Quetzalcoatl--Splendid reception--The Teocalli--Spanish duplicity--Capture of Montezuma-- Spanish gambling--News from Vera Cruz--Forced march to the coast-- Cortes defeats Narvaez--Bad news from Mexico--Back to the capital-- Alvarado's folly--Barbarous acts of the Spaniards--The fight on the pyramid--Destruction of Aztec idols--Death of Montezuma--Spaniards flee from the city--Frightful struggle on the Causeway--Alvarado's leap--The _Noche Triste_--Battle of Otumba--Marvellous victory--Spanish recuperation--Cuitlahuac and Guatemoc--Fresh operations against the capital--Building of the brigantines--Aztec tenacity--Expedition to Cuernavaca--Xochimilco--Attack upon the city--Struggles and reverses-- Sacrifice of Spaniards--Desertion of the Allies--Return of the Allies-- Renewed attacks--Fortitude of the Aztecs--The famous catapult-- Sufferings of the Aztecs--Final attack--Appalling slaughter--Ferocious Tlascalans--Fall of Mexico.