[187] “Tacuba,” says that interesting traveller, Latrobe, “lies near the foot of the hills, and is at the present day chiefly noted for the large and noble church which was erected there by Cortés. And hard by you trace the lines of a Spanish encampment. I do not hazard the opinion, but it might appear by the coincidence, that this was the very position chosen by Cortés for his intrenchment, after the retreat just mentioned, and before he commenced his painful route towards Otumba.” (Rambler in Mexico, Letter 5.) It is evident, from our text, that Cortés could have thrown up no intrenchment here, at least on his retreat from the capital. [188] Lorenzana, Viage, p. xiii. [189] Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva-España, MS., lib. 12, cap. 24.--Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 128.--Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.--Ixtlilxochitl, Hist. Chich., MS., cap. 89. [190] The table below may give the reader some idea of the discrepancies in numerical estimates, even among eye-witnesses, and writers who, having access to the actors, are nearly of equal authority: Killed and Missing. Cortes, ap. Lorenzana, p. 145, 150 Spaniards, 2000 Indians Cano, ap. Oviedo, lib. 33, cap. 54, 1170 “ 8000 “ Probanza, etc., 200 “ 2000 “ Oviedo, Hist. de las Ind., lib. 33, cap. 13, 150 “ 2000 “ Camargo, 450 “ 4000 “ Gomara, cap. 109, 450 “ 4000 “ Ixtlilxochitl, Hist. Chich., cap. 88, 450 “ 4000 “ Sahagun, lib. 12, cap. 24, 300 “ 2000 “ Herrera, dec. 2, lib. 10, cap. 12, 150 “ 4000 “