HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



279 



for the profecution of their voyage: a piece of attention 

 which fliewed the vigilance and hofpitality of that nation. 

 Having come on board of the commander's ship, and 

 prefented themfelves to Cortes in forms of civility, they 

 explained their commiffion by means of Donna Marina 

 and Aguilar, as from her not underftanding the Spanifh, 

 nor he the Mexican, it was neceffary at thefe firft con- 

 ferences with the Mexicans, to employ three languages 

 and two interpreters. Donna Marina explained to Agui- 

 lar in the Maja tongue what the Mexicans faid to her in 

 their language, and Aguilar repeated it in Spanifh to 

 Cortes. This general courteoufly received the Mexicans, 

 and knowing how acceptable the European toys had 

 been to them the year before, anfwered, that he had 

 come into that country for no other purpofe than to 

 traffick with them, and to treat with their king about 

 fome affairs of the utmolt importance, and in order to 

 conciliate their favour, he made them tafte fome Spanifli 

 wine, and prefented them with fome fmall trifles which 

 he judged would be worthy their acknowledgment (h ). 



On 



(h) Torquemada fays, that Montezuma having been apprifed of the new 

 armament which his centinels, who were placed on the mountains, had obferv- 

 ed, immediately difpatched his ambafTadors to pay worfhip to the imagined god 

 Quetzalcoatl; they proceeding with the utmoft expedition to the port of Chal- 

 chiuhcuecan, went inftantly on board of the admiral, on the very day of the 

 arrival of the Spaniards; that Cortes, attending to their error and willing to 

 profit by it, received them fitting upon a high throne that had haftily been 

 formed, where he fuffered himfelf to be adored, to be clothed in the facerdotal 

 habit of Quetzalcoatl, a necklace of gems to be put about his neck, and a helmet 

 or vizor of gold, fet with gems, to be put on his head, 3cc. but this is unqueftion- 

 ably falfe. The fleet departed from the river of Tabafco on Holy Mon- 

 day, and arrived on Thurfday at the port of Ulua. The mountains of 

 Tochtlan and Midllan, from whence the fleet could moft quickly be difco- 

 vered, are not lefs than three hundred miles diftant from the capital, nor 

 are they lefs than two hundred from the port of Ulua : fo that had it even been 

 pofiible to have defcried the fleet the very day on which it left Tabafco, it was 



impoffibic 



