Page:About Mexico - Past and Present.djvu/166

158 While this work of converting the natives was going on, the revenue-officers, who had found their way back to Mexico after their escape from imprisonment in Cempoalla, had created quite a change in public sentiment by their report to Montezuma and his council. After all, the strangers were their friends, and the "water-houses," as they called the ships, were blessings in disguise. Full of gratitude and admiration, they were now sent back to s their deliverers loaded with presents. The poor Totonacs, unable to understand this situation, were more than ever convinced that Cortez was not a human being, but the Fair God himself, and that he who could so transform the Aztecs was the only one who could protect them.

On the 16th of August, Cortez began his march toward Mexico. He had with him five hundred of his own countrymen, fifteen horses and six field-pieces, with several of the principal men of Cempoalla as hostages for the good behavior of the city in his absence. With the gifts from Mexico, many baggage-porters were needed, and these were furnished by the Totonacan allies. The rest of the army were left as a garrison in the new town, then little more than a fortress. One of the soldiers, an old and devout man, was charged with the duty of training the people in the religion they had so unwillingly adopted. Part of his business was to teach them how to make wax candles. The woods in the neighborhood of Cempoalla were rich in wild fruits and berries, one species of the latter furnishing wax in large quantities. Out of this tapers were made, to burn before the Virgin and Child. The industrious natives were quite pleased with this new employment, and worked diligently to provide the temple with lights far exceeding in brilliancy and steadiness