They were cried in every street and canal, they echoed from the roofs of houses, and among the summits of a hundred temples.

The city awoke with a murmur, from the lake came the sound of water beaten by ten thousand oars, as though myriads of wild-fowl had sprung suddenly from their reedy beds.

Here, there, and everywhere torches flashed out like falling stars, wild notes were blown on horns and shells, and above all arose the booming of the snakeskin drum which the priests upon the teocalli beat furiously.
Presently the murmur grew to a roar, and from this direction and from that, armed men poured towards the causeway of Tlacopan.

Some came on foot, but the most of them were in canoes which covered the waters of the lake further than the ear could hear.

Now the Spaniards to the number of fifteen hundred or so, accompanied by some six or eight thousand Tlascalans, were emerging on the causeway in a long thin line.
Guatemoc and I rushed before them, collecting men as we went, till we came to the first canal, where canoes were already gathering by scores.
The head of the Spanish column reached the canal and the fight began, which so far as the Aztecs were concerned was a fray without plan or order, for in that darkness and confusion the captains could not see their men or the men hear their captains.