_How the inhabitants of Cholulla concerted a plan, at the
instigation of Motecusuma, to murder us all, and what further
happened._
The splendid reception we met with at Cholulla was certainly well meant
and honest on the part of the inhabitants, yet a most rapid change took
place. Motecusuma, namely, through his ambassadors, had concocted a plan
with the inhabitants to murder us all. The latter were ordered to arm
themselves in all secrecy, and act in concert with 20,000 of his troops,
who were already on their road, and would enter Cholulla by stealth,
when they were to fall upon us unawares in a body, harass us day and
night, take as many of us prisoners as they could, and send us bound to
Mexico. These orders were accompanied with great promises and presents
of jewels, and other precious things,--among them a golden drum. The
papas also received instructions to sacrifice twenty of us to their
idols.
All this was nicely planned, and ready to burst forth. Motecusuma's
troops lay for a part hid among the woods, about two miles from
Cholulla; another portion had been secretly admitted into the dwellings
of the Cholullans. All were well armed, and the balconies of the houses
had been strengthened by breastworks, the streets barricaded by heaps of
earth, and intersected by deep holes, so as to render our horse useless.
Some houses had even been filled with neck-straps, ropes made of twisted
hides, and long poles, to which we were to be bound and transported to
Mexico. But the Almighty had willed this otherwise, and all their
designs were frustrated, as the kind reader will shortly see.
For the present we were lodged in good quarters, and received a regular
and plentiful supply of provisions during the first days; and though all
seemed in profound peace, we did not relax in our excellent custom of
keeping a sharp look-out: and, indeed, a visible change was taking
place, for, on the third day, provisions were no longer brought us, nor
did any cazique or papa make his appearance among us: if any Indian did
approach our quarters from curiosity, he merely came with derisive
smiles, as if to convey that something unexpected was going to befall
us. Cortes, perceiving this, desired the ambassadors of Motecusuma, who
still remained with us, to order the caziques to send us provisions as
usual. Some wood and water was now indeed brought us, but the old man
who came with it assured us that there was no more maise left in
Cholulla. That very day even other ambassadors had arrived from
Motecusuma, who joined those staying with us, and delivered their
monarch's message to Cortes without any show of courtesy, and in an
impudent tone of voice, saying that their monarch desired we should not
come to his city, as he could not provide for our sustenance there. To
this they required an immediate answer, they being in a hurry to return
with our reply to Mexico. As soon as Cortes saw what a sad turn affairs
had taken, he spoke with much reserve, and answered the ambassadors in
the most courteous manner possible, telling them how greatly he was
astonished that so powerful a monarch as Motecusuma should so often
change his mind: in the meantime he begged of them to postpone their
return until the following day, when he would be able to say in how far
we could comply with their monarch's wishes.
If my memory is correct, he likewise presented them with a few strings
of glass pearls. It is, however, certain that they promised to remain
until the morrow.
As soon as this conference had ended, Cortes called us all together, and
told us to be particularly upon our guard, as the inhabitants, no doubt,
had some evil design in hand. He then sent for the principal cazique,
whose name has slipped my memory, and desired him, if he could not come
in person, to send some one else; but received an answer that he was
indisposed, and that neither he nor any other of the chiefs could come.
Cortes, perceiving this unfavorable aspect of affairs, ordered two papas
to be brought into his presence from a large cu[34] adjoining our
quarters, where several other papas had assembled together. This was
accordingly done with every mark of respect due to their persons.
Cortes commenced by presenting each with a chalchihuis, a stone which
they prize as much as we do a smaragdus. He then, in a most affectionate
manner, inquired of them what had caused the fear which had seized the
caziques, the other chiefs, and the papas, and why they no longer called
upon us, though we had sent them invitations? One of these papas
appeared to hold a superior rank, as of a bishop, above the others; all
the cues of the town stood under him, and the inhabitants paid him the
profoundest veneration. This personage stated, in reply to Cortes, that
the papas did not entertain any fear for us: if the cazique and other
chief personages would not make their appearance, he was very willing to
call upon them, and he doubted not for an instant but that they would
immediately repair to our quarters.
Cortes desired him accordingly to go and call them; in the meantime he
would detain the other papa. It was not long before this chief priest
reappeared in our quarters, bringing along with him the caziques and the
other principal personages of the district. Cortes inquired of them what
cause they had had to fear us, and why they no longer sent us anything
to eat? adding, that if our stay in their town was burdensome to them,
we would leave the very next morning for Mexico, to pay our respects to
their monarch Motecusuma: they had merely to furnish us with a requisite
number of their porters to convey our baggage and the tepuzques, (that
is, our cannon,) and to send us provisions.
The cazique was so embarrassed at what Cortes had said, that he scarcely
durst open his mouth; but at length promised us the provisions we
required, although he had been, he added, commanded by Motecusuma, his
sovereign, to withhold them, and not to allow us to proceed any further
on our march.
During this conference, three of our Sempoallan friends entered, and
secretly acquainted Cortes that they had found deep holes in the streets
adjoining our quarters, which were thinly covered over with sticks and
earth, so as to be imperceptible to the eye, unless by close inspection;
they had the curiosity to remove the earth from off one of these holes,
and found, sticking up at the bottom, numbers of short stakes sharply
pointed, and no doubt placed there to wound our horse when they fell
into the holes: heaps of stones had been gathered on the tops of the
houses, and the latter strengthened by breastworks made of burnt bricks.
Every preparation had been made for an attack, and another street was
strongly barricaded by large wooden beams. At this same moment eight
Tlascallans also arrived from their quarters outside the town, and said
to Cortes, "Are you ignorant, Malinche, of the treacherous designs which
are going on in this town? We have been given to understand that the
Cholullans last night sacrificed seven persons to their god of war,
among them five children, in order to obtain from him a promise of
victory over you. And we also know that all their goods, wives, and
children have been sent out of the town."
On learning this piece of news, Cortes desired these men to return to
their quarters and tell their chiefs to hold themselves in readiness to
fall into the town at a moment's notice. Then, turning to the cazique,
papas, and chiefs of Cholulla, he told them to allay their fears; to
remain true to the promise they had made with respect to our monarch,
otherwise he should find himself obliged to punish them severely: he had
already acquainted them that, on the following morning, he intended to
take his departure for Mexico, and he should require 2000 of their
warriors to join his army, a like number having been furnished by the
Tlascallans.
The chiefs, in reply, assured Cortes of their willingness to comply with
his wishes; they would find him the number of warriors and porters he
required; they then took their leave to make the necessary preparations,
and appeared perfectly confident, for they thought we should not be able
to stand against their warriors and the army of Motecusuma, which lay in
ambush in the defiles, and that they should be able either to kill us or
take us prisoners, as we should be unable to use our horses on account
of the deep holes. They likewise ordered their men to block up all the
outlets of the town, and so inclose us in the narrow streets, as we
intended leaving next morning. Every one was to be particularly on his
guard, and to perform his part at the right time. They would also send
2000 men in advance, and as we did not dream of what was going to take
place, they would make easy work with us, take us prisoners without
danger, and carry us off bound to Mexico. There was no doubt as to their
success, for they had sacrificed to their god of war, and obtained a
promise of victory from him.
While they were thus making sure of victory, Cortes made every effort to
discover their plans, and commissioned Dona Marina to present the two
papas, he had first spoken to, with additional chalchihuis stones, and
acquaint them that Malinche was very desirous of having a second
interview with them. Dona Marina was quite an adept in such matters, and
succeeded by means of the presents, to induce them to accompany her into
our general's quarters, who then desired them to disclose everything
faithfully to him, which, as priests and men of rank, who would disgrace
themselves by telling lies, they were doubly bound to do. He also
assured them that the trust they reposed in him should not be betrayed,
particularly as we were going to leave next day; and in order to give
more weight to his words, he made them considerable promises. The papas
then confessed that their sovereign Motecusuma could come to no
resolution with himself as to whether he ought to allow us to march
towards his metropolis, and that he changed his mind several times in
one day. At one time he sent orders, that when we should arrive in
Cholulla, we were to be treated in the most respectful manner, and they
were to accompany us to his city; at another time he sent word that our
march to Mexico was contrary to his wishes; and now his gods,
Tetzcatlipuca and Huitzilopochtli, in whom he reposed all confidence,
had advised him to kill us, or have us taken prisoners in Cholulla. The
day before he had sent 20,000 warriors to this place, of whom one half
was already secreted in the town, the other among the mountain defiles
in the neighbourhood. These troops had been informed of our intended
departure, and of the mode in which the attack was to be made upon us,
as also of the 2000 men of Cholulla who were to accompany us, and how
twenty of our men were to be sacrificed to the idols of Cholulla.
After Cortes had elicited all this from them, he presented both the
papas with several of the most beautiful cloaks, enjoining them to
betray nothing of what had passed between him and themselves, if they
did they should certainly forfeit their lives on his return from Mexico.
That very night our general called a council of war, consisting of the
most sensible and experienced soldiers of our small army, to deliberate
what our next step should be. Opinion, as generally happens under such
circumstances, was much divided. Some proposed that we should change our
route altogether and take the road over Huexotzinco. Others were of
opinion that we should preserve peace at any sacrifice and return to
Tlascalla. We others, however, maintained, that if we left the
contemplated treachery of the Cholullans unpunished, the Mexicans would
play us worse tricks in other places, and as we had once gained a
footing in this vast territory, it would be better for hostilities to
break out here, where, besides that, provisions were plentiful, we could
do more execution than in the open field; and immediately to acquaint
the Tlascallans with our determination, that they might join us in the
combat.
This plan, in the end, received unanimous consent, and the following
morning was fixed on for the day of our departure. We therefore fastened
up our knapsacks, which indeed was no great trouble, as we had very
little baggage with us. Our attack upon the Indians was to be made in
the spacious square adjoining our quarters, which was surrounded by high
walls, here we should be able to pay them out according to their
deserts. As to the ambassadors of Motecusuma, we merely told them, that
some villains of Cholulla had formed a conspiracy against us, and had
attempted to lay it all to the door of their sovereign Motecusuma and
his ambassadors; but that we could not for a moment give credence to
this, though for the present we must beg of them not again to leave our
general's head-quarters, and to break off all further intercourse with
the inhabitants of the town, in order to erase from our minds all
suspicion of an understanding between the latter and themselves; they
could also act as our guides on our march to Mexico.
The ambassadors assured us that neither their sovereign Motecusuma, nor
they, were aware of anything we had mentioned to them. We, however,
placed a guard over their persons, fearing they might depart without our
knowledge, and relate to Motecusuma how we had discovered the
conspiracy.
During the whole of this night we were particularly on our guard and all
under arms, the horses were ready saddled and bridled, strong watches
were posted in various places, and one patrol followed the other, as we
were sure we should be attacked that night by the united forces of
Mexico and Cholulla. Of this we obtained further certainty from an old
Indian female, the wife of a cazique, who taking compassion on the youth
and good looks of Dona Marina, knowing at the same time that she
possessed many fine things, had induced her to follow her home to save
her from the impending carnage; for, according to her account, we were
all to be killed that night or the day following. This woman assured her
that Motecusuma had issued the most peremptory orders to this effect,
and had therefore sent an army of Mexicans, who were to join the
Cholullans and spare none of us alive, excepting those they could make
prisoners, who were to be sent bound to Mexico. On hearing this, the old
woman added, she was induced from a compassionate feeling to disclose it
to her. She advised her to pack up her goods in all haste and come and
live in her house. She should have her second son for husband, the
brother of the young man then present.
Dona Marina, who was altogether very shrewd, thus answered the old
woman: "I am thankful indeed, good mother, for your kind warning; I
would go with you this instant if I could find any one to carry away my
mantles and gold trinkets, for I have a pretty good quantity of both.
Wherefore I beg of you, good mother, wait a few moments here with your
son, and we will leave together during the night; for these teules have
their ears and eyes everywhere."
The old woman placed perfect confidence in what she had said, and
continued chatting with her for some time. Dona Marina then put several
other questions to her, as to the manner in which we were to be killed?
How and when the plan had been formed? The answers which the old woman
returned perfectly agreed with the account of the two papas. Marina then
questioned her as to how she had come to the knowledge of that, which
the Cholullans had thought to keep so secret? "I know all this from my
husband," returned she, "who is the chief of one of the quarters of this
town, and who has already joined the men under his command, to make the
necessary preparations, and join the troops of Mexico in the mountain
defiles. Both armies will meet and cut down all the teules. All this I
have known three days ago, for my husband has been presented with a
golden drum, and the three other chiefs with splendid cloaks and gold
trinkets, with orders to take all the teules prisoners and send them to
Mexico."
Dona Marina artfully concealed the real impression all this made upon
her mind, and said to the old woman: "How delighted am I to learn that
your son, to whom you intend to marry me, is a man of high rank! We have
now been discoursing about matters which were intended to be kept a
secret. I will now go and pack up my things; in the meantime you wait
for me here, for I cannot carry all my goods alone; you, your son, my
future brother, must assist me to decamp."
The old woman swallowed all this, and stationed herself at some
particular spot with her son. In the meantime Dona Marina related to our
general the whole of the discourse she had had with the old woman.
Cortes immediately ordered the latter into his presence, and put further
questions to her respecting the plans of the treacherous Cholullans.
Everything she related corresponded with the account of the two papas;
Cortes then ordered her to be detained in close custody that she might
not return and disclose anything to her companions.
When morning arrived it was quite amusing to behold the air of contempt
and the confidence which was depicted in the countenances of the
caziques, the papas, and of the Indians in general. They appeared as if
they had already caught us in a snare. They sent a larger body of their
troops than we had demanded of them; yet there was sufficient room to
hold all these besides our own men in the square adjoining our quarters,
which may be seen to this hour as a memento of that bloody day. Though
it was very early when the troops of Cholulla arrived in our quarters,
yet they found us quite ready for the day's work.
The largest gate of this inclosed square was occupied by that portion of
our troops who were armed with swords and shields, who were ordered not
to allow egress to any Indian who bore arms. Our general had mounted his
horse, surrounded by several of us as a guard to his person, and when he
saw how early all the caziques, papas, and warriors had assembled in the
morning, he cried out in a loud voice: "How impatient these treacherous
people are to get us among the defiles and satiate themselves with our
flesh: but the Almighty will order things differently from what they
expect!"
He then inquired for the two papas who had disclosed the plot to him;
and was informed that they were waiting outside with other caziques, and
wished to be admitted; upon which Cortes sent our interpreter, Aguilar,
to desire them to return home, as he had no occasion for them at that
moment. This was done that no harm might befall them when we should fall
upon the Indians, and as a recompense for the services they had rendered
us.
Our general, seated on horseback, with Dona Marina at his side, then
severely upbraided the caziques and papas. "Why had they," said he to
them, "wished to murder us all the preceding night, though we had not
done them the smallest injury? Had we said or done anything to justify
this treacherous movement? Had he done anything more than exhorted them,
as he had all the different tribes through whose territories he had
passed, to abolish their human sacrifices and abstain from eating human
flesh, to commit no unnatural crimes, and to lead a better life than
they had hitherto? He had, further, merely spoken to them about our holy
religion, and certainly thereby done them no violence. For what purpose
had they collected all those long poles with the nooses and ropes in the
house adjoining the large cue? Why had they during the last three days
barricaded the streets, intersected the latter by deep holes, and
fortified the tops of their houses with breastworks? Why had they sent
away from the town their wives, children, and all their goods? All this
sufficiently proved their treacherous designs, which were no longer to
be concealed; they had even refused to provide us food, and in mockery
had sent us merely wood and water, as if to make us believe they had no
maise left. He was perfectly aware that large troops of warriors had
secreted themselves in the defiles near the town, laying in wait for us
when we should be on our road to Mexico. During the past night they had
been joined by several other troops. In reward for our having looked
upon them as brothers, and announced what our God and our sovereign had
commissioned us to reveal to them, they wished to murder us, and eat our
flesh, for which purpose they had already prepared the dishes, the salt,
the pepper, and the tomates. If they intended to kill us, why did they
not attack us boldly in the open field as beseemed brave warriors, as
their neighbours the Tlascallans had done? He was fully acquainted with
all their designs, how they had promised to sacrifice twenty of us to
their god of war; and that they had sacrificed seven Indians three
nights ago to him, that he might grant them victory over us. But all his
promises were full of lies and deceit. Their gods had no power whatever
over us, and their evil deeds, with all their treachery, would recoil
upon themselves."
When the caziques, papas, and the other principal personages heard this,
all of which Dona Marina most intelligibly interpreted to them, they
confessed that what Cortes had said was perfectly correct, but added,
that they were not the guilty persons, everything having been done at
the instigation of Motecusuma's ambassadors, in accordance with his
commands. To which Cortes answered, "That the Spanish laws did not allow
such treachery to pass by unpunished, and that they would be punished
for it with the loss of their lives." At this moment he ordered a cannon
to be fired, which was the signal for us to fall upon them.
A great number of these people were put to the sword, and some were
burnt alive, to prove the deceitfulness of their false gods. Before a
couple of hours had elapsed our friends of Tlascalla came storming out
of their camp into the town, and fought courageously with the troops of
Cholulla in the streets, who strove to drive them back. They then
dispersed themselves about the town for the sake of plunder, and taking
prisoners; nor were we able to prevent them. The following day more
troops arrived from Tlascalla, who committed worse depredations, so
deeply rooted was their hatred against Cholulla. At length our
compassion was aroused, and we ordered the Tlascallans to stay all
further hostilities, and Cortes commanded all the chiefs into his
presence, when he addressed them at some length, and requested them to
return to their camp, which they accordingly complied with, the
Sempoallans alone remaining within the town.[35]
While all this was going on, several caziques and papas arrived from
other quarters of the town, who were said to have taken no part in this
treacherous movement; which may, indeed, have been the case, as in this
large town every quarter had its own regiment and peculiar regulations.
These people begged Cortes and all of us to pardon them, as the real
traitors had now received their deserved punishment. In this prayer they
were joined by our friends, the two papas, who had first discovered the
plot to us, and the old wife of the Indian chief, who was to have been
Dona Marina's mother-in-law.
Cortes at first appeared very little disposed to listen to their
prayers; but at length he sent for the two ambassadors of Motecusuma,
whom we had kept in close confinement. He began by telling them, that
though the whole town, with all its inhabitants, had merited total
destruction, he would, nevertheless, substitute mercy for justice in
consideration of their monarch Motecusuma, whose subjects they were; but
he expected they would in future show a better disposition towards us,
and give us no further cause to renew such a scene as had just taken
place, otherwise they would undoubtedly forfeit their lives. He next
sent for the caziques of the Tlascallan camp, and ordered them to
liberate the prisoners they had taken, as they had now sufficiently
revenged themselves. It was with difficulty we could persuade the
Tlascallans to comply with this, for they maintained that the Cholullans
had deserved a good deal more at their hands for the many times they had
suffered from them; however, as it was Cortes' wish, they liberated a
great number of their captives; but carried off a great deal of booty,
consisting in gold, cloaks, cotton, salt, and other matters.
Cortes then brought about a reconciliation between these two tribes, and
as far as I know, the good understanding which grew up between them was
never after disturbed. He then desired the caziques and papas to order
all the inhabitants into the town again, and to open the tiangues[36] or
markets, at the same time assuring them that no further harm should
befall them. The chiefs accordingly promised that all the inhabitants
should return to the town within the space of five days, as most of them
had fled to the woods; and added, that they feared Cortes would elect a
cazique to whom they might be averse in the room of him who had been
killed in the recent attack. Our general, however, merely inquired who
the rightful successor was according to their laws; and on being
informed the late cazique's brother, he appointed him governor.
As soon as the town was again filled with people, and the markets
frequented as usual, Cortes assembled the papas, chiefs, and the
principal inhabitants, and explained to them the nature of our holy
religion, and showed them the necessity of abolishing their idolatry and
human sacrifices, and their other abominations. He likewise showed them
the delusion they lived under with respect to their idols, which were
nothing but evil spirits from whom they could expect nothing but
falsehood. They should remember how these had lately promised them the
victory over us, and how all their promises had terminated. They should,
therefore, pull down and destroy those lying and deceitful idols, or
leave that work to us, if they declined doing it themselves. At present
he desired they would clear and fresh plaster one of their temples, that
we might fit it up for a chapel and erect a cross there. These words
seemed to cheer them up a little, and they gave a solemn promise to
destroy their idols, but continually postponed the fulfilment whenever
we put them in mind of it. On this matter father Olmedo set Cortes' mind
at ease, by assuring him it would be of little use if even the Indians
did abolish their idols, unless they had previously received some notion
of our religion and faith. We ought first to see what impression our
march into Mexico would make upon them. Time alone could be our surest
guide as to our further proceedings. For the present we had done
sufficient by admonishing them to piety, and by erecting a cross there.
Respecting the town of Cholulla, I have further to remark; that it lay
in a valley, and was surrounded by the townships Tepeaca, Tlascalla,
Chalco, Tecamachalco, Huexotzinco, and so many others that I am unable
to enumerate them all. The country furnished quantities of maise and
various leguminous plants, and particularly maguey, from the sap of
which the inhabitants make their wine.[37] In the town itself various
kinds of earthenware pots are made, embellished with black and white
colours, which are burnt in; with these it supplies Mexico and the
neighbouring provinces. In this respect Cholulla is equally celebrated
in this country, as the towns Talavera and Valencia are in Spain. At
that time Cholulla had above a hundred very high towers, the whole of
which were cues or temples, on which the human sacrifices were made and
their idols stood. The principal cu here was even higher than that of
Mexico, though the latter was, indeed, magnificent and very high.[38] It
is said to have contained one hundred courts, and an idol of enormous
dimensions, (the name of which I have forgotten,) which stood in great
repute, and people came from various parts to sacrifice human beings to
it and bring offerings for the dead.[39] I well remember when we first
entered this town, and looking up to the elevated white temples, how the
whole place put us completely in mind of Valladolid.
I must now say a few words respecting the troops which Motecusuma had
despatched here. These lay in ambush in the immediate vicinity of the
town, and had planted stakes in the ground, and dug deep holes to render
our cavalry incapable of acting. But when they were informed of what had
taken place there, they immediately returned to Mexico to bring the
intelligence to Motecusuma. However rapidly their departure may have
been, we, nevertheless, were immediately apprized of it by the two
distinguished personages who were with us. Motecusuma was excessively
vexed and grieved at the news, and instantly ordered a number of Indians
to be sacrificed to his warrior god Huitzilopochtli, that he might
reveal to him whether he should obstruct our march to Mexico, or allow
us peaceable entrance into his metropolis. Two whole days did he spend
with his papas in devotional exercises, and in sacrificing human beings
to his idols, and at length was advised by them to send us ambassadors
to apologise for the occurrence at Cholulla. He was further to allow us
to march into Mexico, under every show of friendship; but when we had
entered the town to deny us provisions and water, break down the
bridges, shut us in, and put us all to the sword. If they attacked us in
a body, and from all sides at once, not one of us could escape. Not till
then were the great sacrifices to be instituted, as well in honour of
the warrior-god Huitzilopochtli, who had given the oracle, as in that of
the god of hell, Tetzcatlipuca. Our legs, thighs, and arms were to be
eaten at their feast, and our entrails, with the remaining part of our
bodies, were to be thrown to the serpents and tigers, which they kept
confined in wooden cages, as will be mentioned in the proper place.
It may well be imagined that the chastisement we gave the inhabitants of
Cholulla spread like wildfire through the whole of New Spain. If,
previously, the battles of Potonchan, Tabasco, Cingapacinga, and
Tlascalla, had spread the fame of our invincible courage, and obtained
for us the name of teules or gods of a fearful nature, we were now
looked upon as divinities of a superior order, from whom nothing could
be kept a secret, and the greatest veneration was consequently paid to
us.
The kind reader has now, no doubt, heard enough of this occurrence at
Cholulla, and I myself would gladly break off here, but must add a word
or two about the wooden cages we saw in this town. These were
constructed of heavy timber, and filled with grown-up men and little
boys, who were fattening there for the sacrifices and feasts. These
diabolical cages Cortes ordered to be pulled down, and sent the
prisoners each to their several homes. He likewise made the chiefs and
papas promise him, under severe threats, never again to fasten up human
beings in that way, and totally to abstain from eating human flesh. But
what was the use of promises which they never intended to keep?
These are, among others, those abominable monstrosities which the bishop
of Chiapa, Las Casas, can find no end in enumerating. But he is wrong
when he asserts that we gave the Cholullans the above-mentioned
chastisement without any provocation, and merely for pastime. I can,
however, produce as witnesses to the contrary the pious Franciscan
friars who were the first monks our emperor despatched thither after the
conquest of New Spain. These venerable men were purposely sent to
Cholulla to make the minutest investigation into this affair. They
gained all their information from the elders and papas of the town
itself, and they were fully convinced that everything had really taken
place as I have related above: and, indeed, if we had not made an
example here, we should have lived in constant alarm, as we were
completely surrounded by Mexican and Cholullan troops, who were
everywhere lying in ambush. If we had been destroyed at that time, New
Spain would certainly not have been so speedily conquered; a second
armament would not so easily have found its way there; and if it had,
there would have been hard work with the Indians who defended the
coasts; and they would have continued in their idolatrous worship. I
have myself heard the very pious Franciscan brother Toribio Motelmea[40]
say that it would certainly have been better if we could have avoided
spilling so much blood, and the Indians had not given us the cause to do
so; but it had this good effect, that all the inhabitants of New Spain
became convinced that their idols were nothing but deceitful demons, and
they experienced how much happier they were when they discontinued to
worship them or sacrifice to them; and it is a fact, that the
inhabitants of Cholulla, from that moment, cared very little about their
idols: they took down the large one from the principal cu, and either
hid it somewhere or destroyed it altogether: we, at least, never saw
that one again, and they placed another there in its stead.[41]
[34] A temple where human beings were sacrificed to idols. (p. 197.)
[35] Cortes, in his despatches to the emperor, mentions that three
thousand Cholullans were killed on this occasion; but Torquemada gives
double the number, which is nearer the truth, particularly as Gomara
agrees with him.
Respecting this massacre, Torquemada gives the following remarkable
account: The Cholullans, he says, expected that their god Quetzalcohuatl
would come to their assistance with some miracle. They believed that at
any time, by removing part of the white plaster from the temple, a
strong flood of water would instantly burst out, and they were therefore
very particular in repairing any little damage that might happen in this
way to the temple, by means of chalk mixed with the blood of children
two and three years of age, killed for the purpose. It was on this
temple that the Cholullans defended themselves with the greatest
obstinacy; but the victory soon declaring in favour of the Spaniards,
the inhabitants began to loosen the plaster off the outside, firmly
believing that a deluge of water would instantly burst forth, and drown
the assailants; when finding themselves disappointed in their
expectations, they complained bitterly to their god for not rendering
them any assistance; refused, however, to capitulate; and numbers flung
themselves headlong from the top of the temple, to seek death that way.
(p. 204.)
[36] Torquemada sometimes writes this word Tianquitz, sometimes
Tiangues, but we find it also written Tianquiztli. By the terminating
syllable most likely some particular market is meant; for it is peculiar
to the Mexican language to modify the meaning of words in that manner.
(p. 205.)
[37] Termed by the inhabitants Pulque. (p. 205.)
[38] An interesting account of this remarkable building, of which
considerable remains are still to be seen, is given by Humboldt, in the
'Atlas Pittoresque.' (p. 206.)
[39] It was the god Quetzalcoatl, of whom also an account will be found
in the above-mentioned work of Humboldt. (p. 206.)
[40] The name is correctly written Motolinia. This was the excellent
brother Toribio Benavente, who so greatly exerted himself in converting
the Indians to Christianity. He adopted the name of Motolinia on his
arrival in New Spain, and the word means, _O! the poor man!_ which the
Indians exclaimed when they first beheld the meanness of his attire. (p.
207.)
[41] Respecting the castigation of the inhabitants of Cholulla, Las
Casas, (Brevissima Relacion de la destrucyon de las Indias) asserts,
though merely from hearsay, that Cortes, while cutting down the Indians,
repeated this verse:
Miro Nero de Tarpeya, A Roma como se ardia, Gritos dan Ninos y' viejos,
Y el de nada se dolia.
A translation of these lines will be found in a subsequent note. (p.
208.)