Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/349

 pacified and return to their towns, for he, himself could collect them all without any opposition. So they set him free, which was the cause of still greater misfortunes as afterwards appeared; for certain friendly Indians, natives of that country, tracked the said Mazatl to his hiding place and guided thither some Spaniards. Having notified him what his companion Pitzacura said about him, he was ordered to bring his people down from the mountains into their villages within a given time, but we could never obtain his consent to this. He was consequently tried, sentenced to death, and executed. This has been a great example for the others, for, immediately afterwards, other towns which had rebelled resumed their obedience, so that there is not a single town left that is not perfectly peaceful, with its inhabitants and their families living in security, except Papayeca, which has never been willing to come to terms.

After the release of Pitzacura, proceedings were begun against those towns, and war was carried on against their inhabitants, in the course of which more than one hundred prisoners were taken and made slaves, amongst whom was Pitzacura himself. I would not sentence him to death, although he deserved it, as was shown in the legal proceedings against him, but have preferred to bring him with me to this city, together with two others, chiefs of rebellious towns, so that they might see for themselves how the natives were treated in this New Spain, and how they served, all of which they could make known on their return. Pitzacura died of illness, but the other two are well, and I shall send them back when an opportunity offers. The imprisonment of Pitzacura, however, and of another youth who seemed to be the rightful heir, together with the punishment inflicted on those hundred and odd captives who were made slaves, sufficed to completely pacify the province, and, when I left that country, all the towns were inhabited and at