The Mexican Chiefs Were Curious To Know The
Meaning Of All This, And Asked Why We Adored That Piece Of Wood.
On this,
at the suggestion of Cortes, Father Olmedo explained the mystery of the
cross, by virtue of which
The evil spirits were chased away, and
endeavoured to instruct them in the principles of Christianity,
representing the abomination of their idolatry, and the barbarity of their
human sacrifices, the putting a stop to which was the principal object of
our voyage to their country. He then shewed them an image of the Holy
Virgin with the child Jesus in her arms, desiring them to take it with
them and adore it, and to plant similar crosses to that they now saw in
their temples instead of their accursed images. Teuhtlile promised that he
would relate every thing he had seen and heard to his sovereign, and went
his way.
At this time considerable quantities of gold were brought by the natives
to barter with the soldiers for toys, but very few provisions, so that we
were forced to pay away this gold again to our mariners for fish, as
otherwise we should have been reduced to absolute want. Cortes was
perfectly aware of this private traffic, which however he considered as
tending to advance his own schemes, although he carefully concealed his
opinions on the subject; but the adherents of Velasquez began to express
much displeasure at the practice, and demanded of Cortes to take such
measures as might bring all the gold into a public stock under the charge
of a common treasurer, for the benefit of all concerned.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 754 of 789
Words from 209802 to 210072
of 219607
