Otomie bore me a son, our first-born. Already the hardships of the siege
were so great and nourishing food so scarce, that had she been less
strong, or had I possessed less skill in medicine, I think that she
would have died. Still she recovered to my great thankfulness and joy,
and though I am no clerk I baptized the boy into the Christian Church
with my own hand, naming him Thomas after me.

Now day by day and week by week the fighting went on with varying
success, sometimes in the suburbs of the city, sometimes on the lake,
and sometimes in the very streets. Time on time the Spaniards were
driven back with loss, time on time they advanced again from their
different camps. Once we captured sixty of them and more than a thousand
of their allies. All these were sacrificed on the altar of Huitzel,
and given over to be devoured by the Aztecs according to the beastlike
custom which in Anahuac enjoined the eating of the bodies of those who
were offered to the gods, not because the Indians love such meat but for
a secret religious reason.

In vain did I pray Guatemoc to forego this horror.

'Is this a time for gentleness?' he answered fiercely. 'I cannot save
them from the altar, and I would not if I could. Let the dogs die
according to the custom of the land, and to you, Teule my brother, I say
presume not too far.'

Alas! the heart of Guatemoc grew ever fiercer as the struggle wore on,
and indeed it was little to be wondered at.

This was the dreadful plan of Cortes: to destroy the city piecemeal as
he advanced towards its heart, and it was carried out without mercy.