Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/198

162 and in it were those water fowls of stilt legs and plumage of red called flamingos.

In another great house they kept terrible idols, and with them beasts of prey, such as tigers, hons, jackals, foxes, and other flesh-eating animals. They fed them on deer, turkeys, dogs and such like, and I have heard it said, also, the bodies of Indians sacrificed they gave to these fierce beasts in their abominable dens—in which also were vipers and other poisonous snakes, among them one which carries at the end of the tail a kind of rattle. When all the lions and tigers roared together, and jackals and foxes howled and the serpents hissed, it was horrible to hear and you could not think otherwise than that you were in hell.

We had been four days in the city of Mexico, and neither our captain nor any of us had left our quarters except to visit the gardens and buildings near by. Cortes now said to us that we should see the great plaza, and the chief temple of the god of war, and he sent Donna Marina and Aguilar to ask permission. When the monarch knew our wishes he said we were welcome to go; still, since he was apprehensive that we might do some dishonor to his gods, he would himself go with us and bring a company of caciques. He came, and in a rich litter, but when he was half way between his palace and the temple, he left the litter, for he deemed it lack of