Diaz describes #NocheTriste
Edited from a translation by John Lockhart.

“Botello had, four days previously, announced, that by means of his secret art, he had discovered that every one of us would be killed if we did not leave Mexico on a certain night.” 1/20 #Aztec500

“When night approached, Cortes ordered that all the gold, silver, and other valuable matters were brought together in one apartment. Avila loaded eight of our wounded horses and 80 Tlaxcalans with it. The horses and men were as heavily laden as possible.” 2/20

Cortes: "I’ve done all in my power to save this treasure. It's impossible to load any more of it on the Indian porters and the eight horses; I'll allow the soldiers to take as much away with them as they can carry, that it may not fall into the hands of these Mexican dogs." 3/20

“As soon as Narvaez's men and our soldiers heard this, they stowed away as much gold as they could. All matters being now properly ordered, we began to move forward. It was about midnight, and rather dark, a thin mist hung over the town, and a gentle rain was falling.” 4/20

“The moment we began to move (onto the causeway), with our moveable bridge positioned, and Sandoval, with his body of horse, and Cortes, with those under his command, and many other soldiers, had passed across, the war music and yells of the Mexicans suddenly burst forth.” 5/20

“We were attacked by vast bodies of the enemy, and the whole lake was instantly covered with canoes, so that we were unable to move on any further, although many of our men had already passed the moveable bridge.” 6/20 #Aztec500

“Now the most obstinate conflict ensued for the possession of the moveable bridge, and, as misfortunes never come singly, it happened that two of our horses should slide out on the wet planks, and roll over into the lake. This caused the bridge to overbalance and fall down.” 7/20

“Mexicans instantly fell furiously upon us, and we were unable to recover the bridge. As, however, those behind kept continually pushing on those in front, the opening in the canal was filled up with dead horses and their riders, who were lost if they were unable to swim.” 8/20

“The enemy attacked us from all sides. A number of Tlaxcalans and our Indian female servants were carried off with the baggage and cannon; numbers of our men were drowned, and men who were trying to save themselves by swimming, were taken prisoners by those in the canoes.” 9/20

“It was heart-rending to behold this scene of misery, and to hear the moans and pitiful cries for assistance. "Help! I am drowning," cried one here, "they are killing me!" cried another there. Yonder, again, another was clambering over the dead bodies.” 10/20 #Aztec500

“Does any believe that there was a man among us who still observed the order of retreat? That man would have been a fool who had thought of anything but of his own safety! Cortes, with the officers, acted similarly and dashed away, unmindful of the men, at full gallop.” 11/20

“Exposed on every side, we encountered a forest of our own swords, which the enemy had captured and fixed to lances, so that it was a wonder each time a horse & rider escaped. We couldn’t defend ourselves in the water, as the wet rendered our muskets and crossbows useless.” 12/20

“The darkness made every movement uncertain. What did it avail us if 30 or 40 of us managed to make a stand, and boldly faced about? By this means we advanced forward a little, yet none of us would have escaped alive, if every one had not strove to save his own life.” 13/20

“As we approached land near Tacuba. Sandoval thus addressed Cortes: ‘Consider for a moment, general, we are here on safe ground, but there are still such numbers of our men on the causeway, behind the bridges, who will be lost unless we hurry back to their assistance.’” 14/20

“Cortes gave the sorrowful answer, ‘It was a wonder every time one of us escaped; if, however, we turned back to the bridges, we would certainly be lost with horses and all.’ Nevertheless, they turned back and took with them a few men who had escaped without wounds.” 15/20

“They had not advanced far before they came up with Alvarado. He had lost his brown mare and was coming on limping with one foot, heavily wounded, with lance in hand, having only seven of his Spanish soldiers and eight Tlaxcalans left, all dripping with blood.” 16/20