CHAPTER LXXXVII.

_How the powerful Motecusuma again sends ambassadors to us with a

present of gold and cotton stuffs: that monarch's message to Cortes,

and the answer he returns._

As I have before said, we were about to continue our march, when four

distinguished Mexicans arrived in our quarters, with a message from

Motecusuma, accompanied by a present in gold and cotton stuffs, and thus

addressed Cortes, after they had shown the usual signs of veneration:

"Malinche! our sovereign, the mighty Motecusuma, sends you this present.

He desires us to express his sorrow for the many hardships which you

have been compelled to undergo on your tedious journey from such distant

countries to behold his person. He now likewise, again renews the offer

to pay you a quantity of gold, silver, and chalchihuis stones, in shape

of tribute to your monarch, and as a present to you and the other teules

who are with you; but, at the same time, he again begs of you not to

advance any further, but to return from whence you came. He promises to

send abundance of gold, silver, and jewels, for your emperor, to the

harbour on the sea coast; he will present you with four loads of gold,

and your companions with one each:[43] but he altogether forbids you to

enter into Mexico, as all his troops are under arms to oppose you; add

to which, the only access to the metropolis is by one narrow causeway,

and we could not supply you with provisions there."[44]

Besides these, the ambassadors offered many other reasons in order to

dissuade us from advancing any further. However unpleasant this

disclosure might sound in his ears, Cortes, nevertheless, embraced the

ambassadors most affectionately, and accepted the presents, the value of

which I cannot now remember. I must also remark that Motecusuma never

sent any message to us which was not accompanied by some present in

gold.

On this occasion Cortes again told the ambassadors that he was surprised

how their master, who had styled himself our friend so very many times,

and was so powerful a monarch, could so often change his mind. Desire a

thing one day, to countermand it the next. With respect to his offer of

the gold for our emperor and ourselves, we were thankful for his kind

intentions, as also for the presents they now brought with them, and he

would certainly some day render him valuable services in return. He

would ask them himself if it would be acting right after we had advanced

within such a short distance of his metropolis, to turn back without

fulfilling our monarch's commission? Motecusuma should place himself in

our position and consider, if he had sent ambassadors to a monarch of

his own rank, how he would like it, if they returned home after arriving

almost at his palace, without once seeing that monarch or fulfilling

their commission to him? How would he receive these ambassadors when

they appeared before him? Would he not look upon them as cowards and

spiritless beings? Our emperor, at least, would not look upon us in any

other light, and treat us accordingly if we returned so to his court. We

had now no choice left, and we must get into his metropolis one way or

other. In future, therefore, we begged their monarch would not send any

more ambassadors with such messages. He, Cortes, was determined to see

and speak to Motecusuma himself personally, to acquaint him with the

object of our mission. All we required of him was merely an audience,

for the moment our stay in his metropolis became irksome to him we would

leave and return to the place whence we had come. With regard to the

alleged scarcity of provisions, we were accustomed to content ourselves

with little. He had better, therefore, make up his mind to receive our

visit, as we could not possibly relinquish our purpose of seeing Mexico.

With this answer Cortes sent the ambassadors back to their monarch, and

we continued our march. As we had been so often warned by the people of

Huexotzinco and Chalco, and we were aware that Motecusuma had been

advised by his idols and papas to allow us to enter the city and then

fall upon us, we became more thoughtful, for we were likewise mortals

and feared death. We were now, therefore, doubly upon our guard, more

particularly as the country was thickly populated; and we made short

days' marches. We arranged the manner in which we were to enter the

city, and commended ourselves to the protection of God, and we felt

confident hopes, that as the Lord Jesus had up to this moment watched

over us in all our perils, he would also shield us against the power of

Mexico.

We took up our night's quarters in Iztapalapan, where we found an

excellent supper awaiting us. This town lay half in the water and half

on the dry land, on the slope of a small hill, where, at present, a

public-house is built.

After Motecusuma had learnt our answer to his message, he despatched his

nephew Cacamatzin, prince of Tezcuco to us, in great pomp, to bid us

welcome. The first intimation of this prince's approach was brought in

by our outposts, who announced to our general that a great number of

Mexicans were advancing, arrayed in their most splendid mantles and

showed signs of peace. It was still early in the day, just as we were

about to break up our quarters, and Cortes consequently ordered us to

halt, until we should learn the purport of this visit.

At this moment four distinguished personages came up to him, and made

signs of the profoundest veneration, and announced to him that

Cacamatzin, prince of Tezcuco, and nephew to Motecusuma, was approaching,

and they begged that Cortes would await his arrival, as he would come

almost immediately. It was indeed not long before this prince made his

appearance in such splendour and magnificence as we had not yet seen in

any of the Mexican chiefs. He was seated in a beautiful sedan, which was

decorated with silver, green feathers, and branches made of gold, from

which hung quantities of precious stones. This sedan was supported on

the shoulders of eight distinguished personages, who, we were assured,

were likewise caziques over townships.

When the procession had arrived in front of Cortes' quarters, they

assisted the prince out of the sedan, and swept clean every inch of

ground before him, and then introduced him into the presence of our

commander. After the usual compliments, Cacamatzin addressed Cortes as

follows: "Malinche! I and these chiefs are come here to wait upon you,

and to provide all those things for you and your companions which you

may require, and to conduct you to the quarters we have prepared for you

in our city. All this is done at the command of our monarch, the

powerful Motecusuma."

When we contemplated the splendour and majesty of these caziques, and

particularly of the nephew of Motecusuma, we could not help remarking to

each other, if these appear in so much splendour what must not the power

and majesty of the mighty Motecusuma himself be![45]

When Cacamatzin had done speaking, Cortes embraced him, and said many

fine things to this prince and the great personages around him, and

presented the former with three pieces of polished stone, of a pearly

hue, containing various figures in different colours;[46] and the other

chiefs with blue glass beads. He then again thanked him for the

attentions which Motecusuma had thus far shown him, and inquired what

day he should be able to thank Motecusuma in person?

This conference being ended, we continued our march; we were accompanied

by the caziques who had come out to meet us and their numerous suite,

with all the inhabitants of the surrounding neighbourhood, so that we

could scarcely move along for the vast crowds of people.

The next morning we reached the broad high road of Iztapalapan, whence

we for the first time beheld the numbers of towns and villages built in

the lake, and the still greater number of large townships on the

mainland, with the level causeway which ran in a straight line into

Mexico. Our astonishment was indeed raised to the highest pitch, and we

could not help remarking to each other, that all these buildings

resembled the fairy castles we read of in Amadis de Gaul; so high,

majestic, and splendid did the temples, towers, and houses of the town,

all built of massive stone and lime, rise up out of the midst of the

lake. Indeed, many of our men believed what they saw was a mere dream.

And the reader must not feel surprised at the manner in which I have

expressed myself, for it is impossible to speak coolly of things which

we had never seen nor heard of, nor even could have dreamt of,

beforehand.

When we approached near to Iztapalapan, two other caziques came out in

great pomp to receive us: one was the prince of Cuitlahuac, and the

other of Cojohuacan; both were near relatives of Motecusuma. We now

entered the town of Iztapalapan, where we were indeed quartered in

palaces, of large dimensions, surrounded by spacious courts, and built

of hewn stone, cedar and other sweet-scented wood. All the apartments

were hung round with cotton cloths.

After we had seen all this, we paid a visit to the gardens adjoining

these palaces, which were really astonishing, and I could not gratify my

desire too much by walking about in them and contemplating the numbers

of trees which spread around the most delicious odours; the rose bushes,

the different flower beds, and the fruit trees which stood along the

paths. There was likewise a basin of sweet water, which was connected

with the lake by means of a small canal. It was constructed of stone of

various colours, and decorated with numerous figures, and was wide

enough to hold their largest canoes. In this basin various kinds of

water-fowls were swimming up and down, and everything was so charming

and beautiful that we could find no words to express our astonishment.

Indeed I do not believe a country was ever discovered which was equal in

splendour to this; for Peru was not known at that time. But, at the

present moment, there is not a vestige of all this remaining, and not a

stone of this beautiful town is now standing.[47]

We had not been long here before the caziques of this town, and of

Cojohuacan arrived with a present, worth about 2000 pesos, for which

Cortes returned them many thanks, and showed the caziques every possible

kindness, and explained, by means of our interpreters, many important

things to them relative to our holy religion, and the great power of our

emperor.

Iztapalapan was at that time a town of considerable magnitude, built

half in the water and half on dry land. The spot where it stood is at

present all dry land; and where vessels once sailed up and down, seeds

are sown and harvests gathered. In fact, the whole face of the country

is so completely changed that he who had not seen these parts

previously, would scarcely believe that waves had ever rolled over the

spot where now fertile maise plantations extend themselves to all sides;

so wonderfully has everything changed here in a short space of time!

[43] Clavigero says, that a Mexican load was equal in weight to fifty

Spanish pounds, or eight hundred ounces, and values the gold which

Motecusuma offered to Cortes on this occasion at above three millions of

ducats! (p. 216.)

[44] Torquemada (Monarch. Ind. lib. iv) gives many reasons why

Motecusuma was so undecided as to whether he should allow the Spaniards

to enter his metropolis. (p. 216.)

[45] Other writers say, that several of the Spaniards could not be

persuaded for a length of time that it was not the monarch himself. (p.

218.)

[46] Bernal Diaz says, "Tres piedras que se llaman margaritas."

Margarita is Spanish for a pearl; yet it is evident our old soldier is

not speaking of pearls here, and most likely what he calls stones were

nothing more than coloured Venetian glass, which was formerly held in

great estimation; for in the next chapter he further describes these

stones by "piedras de vidrio," stones of glass. (p. 218.)

[47] Cortes, in his despatches, gives even a more glowing description of

this charming spot; a strong proof that Bernal Diaz has not said too

much of it. (p. 219.)