HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



365 



pal perfons of the allies be called (whofe information 

 ought always to be fufpicious, on account of their bitter 

 enmity to the MexicansJ, and demanded of them if they 

 had obferved any thing new in the inhabitants of that 

 court ? They replied, that the Mexican populace was 

 then amufed with the public rejoicings, which the king 

 had ordered, to celebrate the arrival of fuch noble Gran- 

 gers ; but that amongft the nobility they perceived a 

 fufpicious look; and, among other things, they had 

 heard them fay, that it would be eafy to lift up the 

 bridges upon the canals, which feemed to indicate fome 

 fecret confpiracy againft the Spaniards. 



Cortes could not fleep from uneafinefs that whole 

 night, and paffed it traverfing his quarters in deep me- 

 ditation. A centinel told him, that in one of the cham- 

 bers there was a door which had been frefh walled up, 

 Cortes made it be opened, and upon entering they found 

 feveral chambers, where the treafure of the deceafed 

 king was depofited. He faw there many idols, a great 

 quantity of works of gold, of gems, of feathers, of cot- 

 ton, and feveral other things which were paid by the 

 tributary provinces, or prefented by the feudatory lords 

 to their fovereign. After beholding with amazement fo 

 much riches, he made the door be again walled up, and 

 left in its former Mate. 



The next morning he called together his captains, re- 

 prefented to them the hoftiiities committed by the lord 

 of Nauhtlan upon the garrifon at Vera Cruz and the 

 Totonacas their allies, which the allies themfelves faid 

 would not have been offered without the exprefs order 

 or permiffion of the king of Mexico. He painted, in 

 ftrong colours, the danger in which they then flood, and 

 declared his defign to them, exaggerating the advantages 



which 



