Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/127

Rh these we made, at the request of the fat cacique, a detour to a fortress town two days' journey, or from thirty-two to thirty-six miles from Cempoala. As we went forward we found our march a wile of the Cempoalans to get us to avenge upon some Mexican warriors an ancient enmity of theirs. When Cortes learned this we turned about to Cempoala.

The only wish of the Cempoalans now seemed to be that we should remain ever in their country. If we left they feared Montezuma would send an army to their destruction. They therefore proposed to Cortes that, since we were already so close friends, we should also become brothers by marrying daughters of the caciques. To show their earnestness they brought with them eight cacicas, all of them dressed in rich garments of their country, each with a gold collar about her neck and gold rings in her ears, and attended by maids.

Naturally Cortes thanked the chiefs for their very generous wishes. He said, however, that he could not look upon them as brothers until they rid themselves of their monstrous idols and human sacrifices. Then only could we form a permanent and brotherly union with them. Every day, he said, he saw three, four or even five Indians sacrificed, their hearts torn out of their bodies and offered to their idols, their blood smeared over the walls, and their arms and legs cut off and eaten, just as in our country we eat