The herald., 1895-03-24

Indians to his war god to propitiate him
and learn his will. and for two days he
remained at his devotions with his Papas
and his idols; and the reply of the idol
was that he should send messengers to
exculpate himself of completely in the
treason of the Cholulans, and let rs enter
Mexico, ana then when we were within
to raise the bridges and slay us and offer
us as sacrifices, and eat our arms and legs
and feed our bodies to the serpents and
other animals which they had in certain
houses devoted to that purpose.
| This affair of Cholula gave us a great
name throughout all New Spain, and ii
before they held us for teuies or demons,
they now considered US divine and
thought they could hide nothing from us
! which was intended for our injury.
! ! cannot finish the relation of this affair
! OF Cholula without telling how we broke
! open the cages which they had filled with
men and boys intended for sacrifice and
! to have their flesh eaten. And Cortes set
! them free and sent them all to their own
| countries and threatened the Caciques
and Papas with heavy punishment II they
offered any more sacrifices or ate any
more human flesh.
These were the great cruelties of which
| the Lord Bishop of Chiapas, Don Bartol-
eme dc las Casas, was never tired of
talking, saying that merely for our own
pastime and without any cause we killed
those Cholulans. But afterwards when
the Franciscans sent by his Majesty into
New Spain inquired into the matter and
l. Ill, !
ques and Papas, they were told the story
rs | have related it. And have heard
holy FRANCISCAN, that is to say Fray
Torrfbio Motelmea, say that if that pun
ishment could have been avoided, or il
the Indians had not given cause for it,
it would have been better, but that as it
had been done it was well done in order
that the Indians of all the provinces OF
Mexico might see that their idols were
liars and deceivers.
When we had been fourteen days and
the inhabitants who had fled had all re-
turned, and we had made a peace between
the Cholulans and Tlascalans, Cortes re-
solved to take counsel with certain brave
and wise Captains and soldiers, bcause he
did nothing important without consult
ing us.
1t was determined that blandiy and
lovingly we should send to Montezuma,
saying that we had come from distant
lands over wide oceans to see him, sent
here by our King, and that we had many
things to tell him which were for his
good and that we did not believe the
Cholulans when they said he had insti-
gated them to kill us, and that we de-
sired to go at once to his city to see and
converse with him.
When MonteZuma received our message
he again took counsel with his idols and
they gave him the same reply as before.
He then sent six OF his principal nob.es
with presents of gold and rich mantleS
and when they came before Cortes they
touched the earth with their hands, and
after many reverences such as they use,
they said 'tMalinche, our lord the great
Montezuma sends you these presents and
asks you to receive them in the loving
spirit in which they are sent, and says
that he is sorry for the trouble the Chou-
lans have caused you and is only sorry
you did not chastise them more severely,
as they are liars and traitors; and that he
is your friend, and to come to his city
you and your brothers with the honor
merited by men SO brave and the repre-
sentatives OF such great King: and that
he has given orders to all the towns
through which you have to pass to give
you everything you need. -
Cortes embraced the ambassadors and
gave them many presents, and we were |
all much pleased at the message seeing |
that he had invited us to his city; espe- |
cially glad were those OF us who had left |
nothing in Cuba.
At this time Xicotenga the elder and
Maeesecasi sent to Cortes and said their
souls were heavy to hear that he intended |
to go to Mexico, as the city was so strong
and had such multitude of warriors, and
that they feared we would not come out
again with our lives and that because of
their good will they wished to send US
10, 900 additional warriors with bold and
valiant Captains.