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ity of fresh blood lying in front of it. Motecusuma
himself stepped out of a chapel, in which his cursed gods were
standing, accompanied by two papas, and received Cortes and the whole of
us very courteously. "Ascending this temple, Malinche," said he to our
commander, "must certainly have fatigued you!" Cortes, however, assured
him, through our interpreters, that it was not possible for anything to
tire us. Upon this the monarch took hold of his hand and invited him to
look down and view his vast metropolis, with the towns which were built
in the lake, and the other towns which surrounded the city. Motecusuma
also observed, that from this place we should have a better view of the
great market.

Indeed, this infernal temple, from its great height, commanded a view of
the whole surrounding neighbourhood. From this place we could likewise
see the three causeways which led into Mexico,--that from Iztapalapan,
by which we had entered the city four days ago; that from Tlacupa, along
which we took our flight eight months after, when we were beaten out of
the city by the new monarch Cuitlahuatzin; the third was that of
Tepeaquilla. We also observed the aqueduct which ran from Chapultepec,
and provided the whole town with sweet water. We could also distinctly
see the bridges across the openings, by which these causeways were
intersected, and through which the waters of the lake ebbed and flowed.
The lake itself was crowded with canoes, which were bringing provisions,
manufactures, and other merchandise to the city. From here we also
discovered that the only communication of the houses in this city, and
of all the other towns built in the lake, was by means of drawbridges or
canoes. In all these towns the beautiful white plastered temples rose
above the smaller ones, like so many towers and castles in our Spanish
towns, and this, it may be imagined, was a splendid sight.

After we had sufficiently gazed upon this magnificent picture, we again
turned our eyes toward the great market, and beheld the vast numbers of
buyers and sellers who thronged there. The bustle and noise occasioned
by this multitude of human beings was so great that it could be heard at
a distance of more than four miles. Some of our men, who had been at
Constantinople and Rome, and travelled through the whole of Italy, said
that they never had seen a market-place of such large dimensions,[61] or
which was so well regulated, or so crowded with people as this one at
Mexico.

On this occasion Cortes said to father Olmedo, who had accompanied us:
"I have just been thinking that we should take this opportunity, and
apply to Motecusuma for permission to build a church here."

To which father Olmedo replied, that it would, no doubt, be an excellent
thing if the monarch would grant this; but that it would be acting
overhasty to make a proposition of that nature to him now, whose consent
would not easily be gained at any time.

Cortes then turned to Motecusuma, and said to him, by means of our
interpretress, Doña Marina: "Your majesty is, indeed, a great monarch,
and you merit to be still greater! It has been a real delight to us to
view all your cities. I have now one favour to beg of you, that you
would allow us to see your gods and teules."

To which Motecusuma answered, that he must first consult his chief
papas, to whom he then addressed a few words. Upon this, we were led
into a kind of small tower, with one room, in which we saw two basements
resembling altars, decked with coverings of extreme beauty. On each of
these basements stood a gigantic, fat-looking figure, of which the one
on the right hand represented the god of war Huitzilopochtli. This idol
had a very broad face, with distorted and furious-looking eyes, and was
covered all over with jewels, gold, and pearls, which were stuck to it
by means of a species of paste, which, in this country, is prepared from
a certain root. Large serpents, likewise, covered with gold and precious
stones, wound round the body of this monster, which held in one hand a
bow, and in the other a bunch of arrows. Another small idol which stood
by its side, representing its page, carried this monster's short spear,
and its golden shield studded with precious stones. Around
Huitzilopochtli's neck were figures representing human faces and hearts
made of gold and silver, and decorated with blue stones. In front of him
stood several perfuming pans with copal, the incense of the country;
also the hearts of three Indians, who had that day been slaughtered,
were now consuming before him as a burnt-offering. Every wall of this
chapel and the whole floor had become almost black with human blood, and
the stench was abominable.

On the left hand stood another figure of the same size as
Huitzilopochtli. Its face was very much like that of a bear, its shining
eyes were made of tetzcat, the looking-glass of the country. This idol,
like its brother Huitzilopochtli, was completely covered with precious
stones, and was called _Tetzcatlipuca_. This was the god of hell, and
the souls of the dead Mexicans stood under him.[62] A circle of figures
wound round its body, resembling diminutive devils with serpents' tails.
The walls and floor around this idol were also besmeared with blood, and
the stench was worse than in a Spanish slaughter-house. Five human
hearts had that day been sacrificed to him. On the very top of this
temple stood another chapel, the woodwork of which was uncommonly well
finished, and richly carved. In this chapel there was also another idol,
half man and half lizard, completely covered with precious stones; half
of this figure was hidden from view. We were told that the hidden half
was covered with the seeds of every plant of this earth, for this was
the god of the seeds and fruits: I have, however, forgotten its name,
but note that here also everything was besmeared with blood, and the
stench so offensive that we could not have staid there much longer. In
this place was kept a drum of enormous dimensions, the tone of which,
when struck, was so deep and melancholy that it has very justly been
denominated the drum of hell. The drum-skin was made out of that of an
enormous serpent; its sound could be heard at a distance of more than
eight miles. This platform was altogether covered with a variety of
hellish objects,--large and small trumpets, huge slaughtering knives,
and burnt hearts of Indians who had been sacrificed: everything clotted
with coagulated blood, cursed to the sight, and creating horror in the
mind. Besides all this, the stench was everywhere so abominable that we
scarcely knew how soon to get away from this spot of horrors. Our
commander here said, smilingly, to Motecusuma: "I cannot imagine that
such a powerful and wise monarch as you are, should not have yourself
discovered by this time that these idols are not divinities, but evil
spirits, called devils. In order that you may be convinced of this, and
that your papas may satisfy themselves of this truth, allow

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