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nner set on table. Cacao in great quantities
was in particular served up to them, which is the principal beverage of
the Indians. As the house of the cazique was in the neighbourhood, the
Mexicans passed by our quarters; but behaved with such reserve and so
haughtily, that they neither addressed Cortes nor any of us. They wore
richly-worked mantles and maltatas similarly manufactured, which were
then still in fashion among them. The hair of their head was combed out
quite glossy and tied up in a knot in which were stuck some sweet
scented roses. Every one carried a stick with a hook, and had an Indian
slave with a fan to keep off the flies. They were accompanied by a great
number of distinguished personages from the country of the Totonaques,
who remained around them until they arrived in their quarters and had
sat down to dinner. After this was finished they sent for the fat
cazique and the other chiefs of the townships, and scolded them under
severe threats for having received us. They had no business with us,
added they; this was by no means the wish of their master Motecusuma,
without whose command and permission they ought not to have provided us
with quarters, nor given us any golden trinkets. They would have to pay
dearly for all this; at present, however, they must find twenty Indians
and an equal number of females, in order that by sacrificing them they
might appease the gods for the evil service which had thus been
rendered.

Cortes, who observed how restless every one appeared, desired Doña
Marina and Aguilar to explain the reason of all this, and who the
strange Indians were. Marina knew all that had passed, and told him
accordingly; upon which he sent for the fat cazique, with the chiefs of
the townships, and questioned them himself as to who the strangers were
whom they treated so ceremoniously? They answered, that these were
tax-gatherers of the great Motecusuma, who had remonstrated with them
for having received us without his previous permission, and now required
twenty persons, of both sexes, for a sacrifice to the god of war, in
order that he should grant them the victory over us. They had likewise
been assured, that Motecusuma would take us prisoners and turn us into
slaves.

Upon this Cortes consoled and bid them take courage, assuring them he
would punish the Mexicans for it, as both he himself and his troops were
willing, and had the power to do so.

CHAPTER XLVII.

 _How Cortes ordered the five Mexican tax-gatherers to be imprisoned,
 and no further obedience to be paid Motecusuma, nor tribute to be
 exacted; and of the rebellion which was now excited against this
 monarch._

Cortes further said to the caziques, they were aware he had already
assured them that the emperor, our master, had specifically commissioned
him to punish all those who did evil, and in particular, no longer to
suffer kidnapping nor human sacrifices.

As the Mexican tax-gatherers now required human beings of them for those
sacrifices, he would take and keep them prisoners until Motecusuma
should learn the reason why he had done so, and was made acquainted with
the other violent measures they were accustomed to commit against them,
their wives and daughters.

The caziques were excessively alarmed that Cortes should require this at
their hands, and durst not venture to lay hands on the tax-gatherers of
the mighty Motecusuma. But Cortes exhorted them for such a length of
time that they at last took courage, seized their persons, and fastened
them, in their fashion, to long poles, by collars, which went round the
neck, so that they could not even move themselves. One of them, who made
resistance, was whipped into the bargain.

Upon this Cortes commanded the caziques no longer to obey the mandates
of Motecusuma, nor to pay him tribute, and to make these his wishes
known to all those tribes with whom they were allied and friendly,
adding that they should inform him, whether there were tax-gatherers in
other districts, that he might also send to take them prisoners.

The rumour of all this quickly spread through the whole country, as the
fat cazique despatched messengers to that end, while the chiefs, who had
accompanied the Mexican tax-gatherers, hastened back to their townships
to relate the wonderful news. When the Indians learnt this astounding,
and to them so important an occurrence, they said to one another, that,
such great things could not have been done by men, but only by _teules_,
which sometimes mean gods, sometimes demons, here in the former sense;
which was the reason they termed us teules, from that moment; and I beg
the reader to observe, that whenever in future I speak of teules in
affairs relating to us, that we are meant thereby.

All the caziques were of opinion that we should sacrifice the prisoners,
that they might not return to Mexico and relate what had befallen them.
Cortes, however, strictly forbade this, and placed a strong watch over
them. About midnight he ordered the sentinels into his presence, and
said to them: "Pay particular attention to what I say. Take two of the
most active of the prisoners, now in our hands, and bring them into my
quarters. This must be done with great circumspection, so that the
Indians of this township may know nothing of it."

When the two men were brought before Cortes, he did as if he was
unconscious they were Mexicans, and questioned them, by means of
interpreters, as to whence they came, and why they had been taken
prisoners? To which they answered, "that the caziques of Sempoalla, and
of this township, had seized upon their persons in secret understanding
with us." Cortes, however, positively assured them, that he was totally
ignorant of the whole matter, and was very sorry it should have
happened. He immediately ordered food to be given them, and otherwise to
be kindly treated, and commissioned them to acquaint their monarch,
Motecusuma, that we were all his sincerest friends and most devoted
servants. That they might not suffer any further ill treatment, he
added, they should be set at liberty and he would severely reprimand the
caziques, by whom they had been imprisoned. He was ready to render them
any service in his power, and he would likewise release their three
companions; they themselves, however, had better get out of sight as
quickly as possible, that they might not be retaken by the inhabitants
and killed. Both the prisoners said, they should be very thankful for
their liberty, but were afraid of falling again into their enemies'
hands, as they were compelled to pass through their country. Cortes
therefore ordered six sailors to take the Mexicans in a boat to a
certain point on the coast, twelve miles distant, where they would be
out of the Sempoallan territory. All this was dexterously managed, and
when daylight appeared the caziques and other chiefs were not a little
surprised to find only three prisoners remaining. These they insisted
should be sacrificed, but Cortes feigned to be highly incensed at the

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