The gunners waited until the columns were close at hand, and then their terrible discharge swept lanes through the crowded masses in the streets.
For a moment the Mexicans paused, paralyzed by the terrible slaughter; and then, rallying, rushed forward again.

Three times the cannon were discharged into their midst; but though broken and disordered, they still pressed on until they swept up to the very foot of the walls, pouring in a hail of arrows.
They were well seconded by those on the housetops who, from their elevated position, were on a level with the Spaniards; and whose missiles, arrows, javelins, and stones thrown with great force from slings, galled the defenders greatly, and wounded great numbers of them.
In vain did the Aztecs strive to climb the walls.

These were of no great height but, as they showed their heads above the parapet, they were shot down by the Spanish arquebus men, or struck backwards by the weapons of the Tlascalans.

Failing to scale the walls, they tried to batter down the parapet with heavy pieces of timber.

But the stonework was too strong, and they then shot burning arrows into the palace, and hurled blazing torches over the wall.
The palace itself was of stone, but some of the exterior works which had been constructed were of wood, and these were soon on fire.