Though He Disapproved Their Conduct, Cortes Declared
He Would Not Oppose Them; On Which They Embarked, Taking On Board Their
Provision of bread, vegetables, and oil for the voyage, and one of them
named Moron sold a good horse to
Juan Ruano, receiving its price in an
assignment over some property in Cuba. When the vessel was about to sail,
we all waited on Cortes, having the civil officers of the colony at our
head, and requested that no one should be allowed to quit their colours,
for which these men rather deserved to die, than to be thus permitted to
depart. Cortes appeared at first unwilling to recal his permission, but at
last acceded to our wishes, and the seven deserters were obliged to return,
under the ridicule of us all. Moron in particular was most laughed at, as
having lost his horse, which Ruano refused to return, referring to the
assignment in Cuba for the agreed payment.
The discontents being for the present appeased, Cortes set out against
Cincapacinga with 400 soldiers, and was joined at Chempoalla by 1000 of
our allied natives, divided into four companies. We marched five leagues
the first day, and reached the outskirts of Cincapacinga next day, which
we found situated among steep rocks of difficult access. Eight of the
principal inhabitants of the place waited on Cortes, whom they asked with
tears in their eyes what misconduct of theirs had induced him to destroy
them; adding, that the ill will of our allies of Chempoalla proceeded from
an ancient dispute about boundaries, and they now took the advantage of
our assistance to rob and murder them unjustly. They acknowledged that a
Mexican garrison had been in their town, but assured him that it had
retired when the officers of Montezuma were arrested at Chiahuitztla, and
earnestly entreated to be admitted into favour. Cortes gave immediate
orders, forbidding the allies to advance; but they were already engaged in
plundering the suburbs, at which Cortes was very angry, and ordering the
Chempoallan captains into his presence, he reproached them for their
misrepresentations, when their obvious purpose was to employ us, who were
bound to prevent and redress injustice, to aid them in plundering their
neighbours. He commanded them therefore, on pain of death, instantly to
liberate all their prisoners, to restore their plunder, and to withdraw
for the night with all their men from the town; with all which orders they
immediately complied. By this just conduct, Cortes won the hearts of the
people in this district to our cause, and the chiefs and priests listened
attentively to his exhortations to abandon their abominable idolatry and
barbarous human sacrifices, coming under engagements of allegiance to our
king, and making heavy complaints against the tyranny of the Mexican
government. Next morning, Cortes brought the chiefs of Chempoalla and
Cincapacinga together, and effectuated a complete reconciliation between
the two districts. We then set out on our return, taking a different route
from that by which we advanced, and halted after a fatiguing march, in a
village belonging to the district of Cincapacinga. While here, one of our
soldiers took two fowls from one of the inhabitants, and Cortes got notice
of the transaction, who was so highly incensed at the commission of such
an outrage in a peaceable district, that he immediately ordered the
soldier to be hanged; but captain Alvarado cut the rope with his sword in
time to save his life. We proceeded from that village to another in the
district of our first allies, where the cacique of Chempoalla waited for
us with a supply of provisions, and next day marched back to our quarters
at Chiahuitztla, into which we were escorted by all the chiefs. Our
conduct on this expedition raised us higher than ever in the esteem of the
natives, who could distinguish the excellence of justice, though untaught,
and saw that the behaviour of Cortes corresponded with his professions of
having come into their country to redress injuries, and to put an end to
tyranny.
The natives were now under great terror of the power and vengeance of
Montezuma for revolting from his authority. They proposed therefore to fix
our abode in their country by inducing us to marry their women; and for
this purpose, eight young women of the principal families of the district
were introduced, all richly dressed and decorated with gold collars and
ear-rings, attended by many female slaves. The fat cacique then made a
speech to our general, in which he said that seven of these women were
intended for the captains of our army, and the eighth, who was his own
niece and proprietor of several villages and many vassals, was meant for
himself. Cortes received this offer with thanks; but observed, that in
order to establish an entire friendship between them and us, they must
first renounce their gross idolatry, the shameful custom of male youths
appearing in female attire, and their barbarous human sacrifices; as we
were daily shocked by seeing four or five horrid murders, the miserable
victims being cut up and exposed as beef is in our public markets. The
chiefs and priests replied that they could not consent to renounce the
accustomed worship of their gods, but were willing to abolish the other
evil customs of which he complained. We were by no means satisfied with
this answer, and having made sure of our hearty co-operation, Cortes
ordered us all under arms, and informed the chiefs that we were determined
upon suppressing their idolatrous worship by force at the hazard even of
our lives. On hearing this resolution, the fat cacique ordered all his
people to arm for the defence of the temple; and when we were about to
ascend the great flight of steps, he expostulated with Cortes for
attempting a measure which would ensure the destruction both of them and
us, by incensing their gods. Cortes replied that their remonstrances were
all in vain, as he was determined to hurl their pretended gods down the
steps of the temple.
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