SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



75 



whom tens of thousands of human victims had 

 been sacrificed, in the religious and sanguinary 

 fervour of its infatuated worshippers. 



All who have read (and who has not ?) the 

 relation of Cortez of the transactions of the 

 siege of Mexico must have shuddered at 

 the horrid recital of the enormities committed 

 on those who were unfortunately made cap- 

 tives by the natives. The heart, still panting 

 with life, was taken by the priest from the 

 breast, and deemed the more acceptable to 

 the deity if it still smoked with life : the 

 mangled limbs of the victim were then divided 

 amongst the crowd as a feast worthy of the 

 goddess. 



In the night of desolation, called by the 

 Spaniards Noche Triste, in which many were 

 made prisoners by the Mexicans, the adven- 

 turous Cortez, and his few remaining com- 

 panions in arms, were horror-stricken by wit- 

 nessing the cruel manner in which their cap- 



