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thers, that we should choose wives from among
their daughters and relatives, that our posterity might descend from one
and the same stock. In order that this more intimate connexion might be
brought about, they immediately made a good beginning by presenting us
with eight females, all daughters of caziques: one of these, the niece
of the fat cazique, was given to Cortes, and Puertocarrero was presented
with the daughter of another powerful cazique, whom they called Cuesco.
All these young women were finely dressed out after the fashion of the
country: they wore beautiful shifts, had golden chains about their
necks, golden rings in their ears, and had other Indian females to wait
upon them.

When the fat cazique presented these, he said to Cortes, "_Tecle_,
(which signifies sir, in their language,) these seven women are intended
for your chief officers, and this my niece, who herself holds dominion
over a country and a people, I have destined for you." Cortes joyfully
accepted of the young women, and returned thanks to the chiefs,
remarking, at the same time, that he should gladly recognize in these
women, the bonds of brotherly union between us. But now they should
likewise renounce their idols, and no longer bring them human
sacrifices. It grieved him sorely whenever he reflected on the monstrous
heresy in which they lived; henceforth he would neither see nor hear of
these abominations, of human sacrifices and unnatural offences: then
only could a permanent and brotherly union subsist between us. Above all
things the women must be converted to Christianity, before we could
think of taking them. Further, all unnatural crimes must be put a stop
to, and young men must cease to go about in female garments, to make a
livelihood by such cursed lewdness. Indeed, hardly a day passed by that
these people did not sacrifice from three to four, and even five
Indians, tearing the hearts out of their bodies, to present them to the
idols and smear the blood on the walls of the temple. The arms and legs
of these unfortunate beings were then cut off and devoured, just in the
same way we should fetch meat from a butcher's shop and eat it: indeed I
even believe that human flesh is exposed for sale cut up, in their
_tiangues_, or markets.

"All these atrocities," added Cortes, "must cease from this moment; then
only could our union be sincere, and should we be able to make them
lords over additional countries." To this the caziques, the papas, and
all the other personages answered, "That it would be impossible to
abolish their idols and the human sacrifices: for everything that was
good they received from these idols; they made their seeds grow and
granted them all necessaries; but with regard to the unnatural crimes,
they would strive in future to put an end to them."

This unsatisfactory answer made a most disagreeable impression on Cortes
and all of us; for, indeed, we could no longer bear to look upon their
barbarities and the dissolute life which they led. Cortes spoke a long
time to us upon the subject; he brought many holy and useful lessons to
our mind, and observed "That we could do nothing which would be more
beneficial to this people, and more to the glory of God, than to abolish
this idolatry with its human sacrifices. It was certainly to be expected
that the inhabitants would rise up in arms, if we proceeded to destroy
their idols: we should, however, make the attempt, if even it were to
cost us our lives."

Upon this we all arrayed ourselves as if we were preparing for battle,
and Cortes acquainted the caziques that we were now going out to destroy
their idols. When the fat cazique heard this he ordered the other chiefs
to call out the warriors in their defence, and when we were about to
mount up a high temple where the sacrifices were made,--I forget now how
many steps led to the top,--he and the other chiefs became outrageously
furious. They went menacing up to Cortes, and asked him, "Why he was
going to destroy their gods? such an insult they would not suffer; it
would be their and our destruction."

Cortes now also lost patience, and answered, "He had already told them
several times they should not sacrifice to these monsters, who were
nothing more than deceivers and liars. There was now, therefore, no
alternative left him than to lay violent hands on them himself, and hurl
them from their bases. He must look upon them as his worst enemies, and
not as friends, since they would put no faith in his advice. He was well
aware what design their chiefs and armed warriors had in hand; his
forbearance was at last exhausted, and any opposition would cost them
their lives."

These threats were most intelligibly interpreted to the Indians by Doña
Marina, who also put them in mind of Motecusuma's army, which every
moment might fall upon them. They, therefore, turned the question
another way, and declared, "That they were not worthy of laying hands on
their gods. If we durst venture to do so, they supposed we must, for we
could not resist the temptation; but they would never give their
consent."

They had scarcely done speaking when more than fifty of us began to
mount the steps of the temple. We tore down the idols from their
pediments, broke them to pieces, and flung them piecemeal down the
steps. Some of these idols were shaped like furious dragons, and were
about the size of young calves; others with half the human form; some
again were shaped like large dogs, but all were horrible to look at.

When the caziques and papas thus beheld these monsters lying crumbled on
the ground, they set up a miserable howl, covered their faces, and
begged forgiveness of the idols in the Totonaque language, as they were
unable to protect them against the teules, nor durst they attack us for
fear of Motecusuma. It did not, however, end here, for their armed
warriors who had now come up began to fly their arrows at us. Finding
matters had taken such a turn, we seized the fat cazique, six papas, and
several of the chief personages; and Cortes declared to them, that if
the attack was not instantly staid they should all forfeit their lives.
Upon this the fat cazique commanded his men to desist, and when quiet
was somewhat restored they began to negotiate about terms of peace,
which was concluded as shall shortly be related.

In this place I have only further to add, that our march to
Tzinpantzinco was the first expedition Cortes made towards the interior
of New Spain, and that it turned out greatly to our advantage. The
historian Gomara here again tells his fables of the many thousands of
human beings we destroyed at Tzinpantzinco; the curious reader, however,
may sufficiently convince himself from my account what little faith is
to be placed in his history, however beautiful the style may be in which
it is written.

CHAPTER LII.

 _How Cortes erects an altar, and places thereon the image of the
 blessed Virgin with a cross; after which mass was said, and the
 eight Indian females baptized._

After 

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