24 



the terrible effect of the sculptured Idols of the Mexicans, was 

 their having the eyes formed of precious stones, and being coloured, 



on the platform as we passed, the large stones whereon were placed the 

 victims who were to be sacrificed. Here was a great figure which re- 

 sembled a dragon, and much blood fresh spilt Montezuma came out 

 from an adoratory in which his accursed idols were placed, attended by 

 two priests, and addressing himself to Cortes, expressed his apprehension 

 that he was fatigued- to which Cortes replied, that fatigue was unknown 

 to us. 



" Cortes then addressing himself to Montezuma, requested that he would 

 do him the favour to show us his gods. Montezuma having first consulted 

 his priests, led us into a tower where was a kind of saloon. Here were 

 two altars highly adorned, with richly wrought timbers on the roof, and 

 over the altars, gigantic figures resembling very fat men. The one on the 

 right was Huitzilopochtli their war god, with a great face and terrible 

 eyes ; this figure was entirely covered with gold and jewels, and his body 

 bound with golden serpents ; in his right hand he held a bow, and in his 

 left a bundle of arrows. The little idol which stood by him represented 

 his page, and bore a lance and target richly ornamented with gold and* 

 jewels. The great idol had round his neck the figures of human heads 

 and hearts, made of pure gold and silver, ornamented with precious 

 stones of a blue colour. Before the id ol was a pan of incense, with three 

 hearts of human victims which were then burning, mixed with copal. 

 The whole of that apartment, both walls and floor, was stained with 

 human blood in such quantity as to give a very offensive smell. On the 

 left was the other great figure, with a countenance like a bear, and great 

 shining eyes, of the polished substance whereof their mirrors are made. 

 The body of this idol was also covered with jewels. These two deities 

 it was said were brothers; the name of this last was Tezcatepuca, and he 

 was the god of the infernal regions. He presided, according to their 

 notions, over the souls of men. His body was covered with figures re- 

 presenting little devils with tails of serpents, and the walls and pave- 

 ment of this temple were so besmeared with blood that they stunk 

 worse than all the slaughter-houses of Castile. An offering lay before 

 him of five human hearts. In the summit of the temple, and in a recess, 

 the timber of which was most highly ornamented, we saw a figure half 

 human and the other half resembling an alligator, inlaid with jewels, 

 and partly covered with a mantle. This idol was said to contain the 

 germ, and origin of all created things, and was the god of harvest, and 

 fruits. The walls and altars were bestained like the rest, and so offensive, 

 that we thought we never could get out soon enough. 



" In this place they had a drum of most enormous size, the head of 

 which was made of the skins of large serpents: this instrument when 

 struck resounded with a noise Jthat could be heard to the distance of two 

 leagues, and so doleful that it deserved to be named the music of the 



