IN THE OLDEN TIME. 
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first mass celebrated in Guatemala these blood-stained 
murderers knelt. No wonder that the priests have in their 
turn been driven from the country! 
Xelahuh was found deserted, and here Alvarado rested 
three days to remove the rusting blood from his arms. 
Then came the news that another Quiche army (Alvarado 
writes to Cortez that it was composed of twelve thousand 
men from Utatlan and countless numbers from the neigh¬ 
boring towns) was approaching; and the Spaniards 
marched out to meet them on the magnificent plain be¬ 
tween Quezaltenango and Totonicapan. This was the 
decisive battle, and marvellous are the Indian legends 
gathering around it. Over the head of Tecum, the Quiche 
commander, hovered a gigantic quetzal (the nagual of the 
chief), who savagely attacked the Spanish general. At 
last the Spanish lance killed the bird, and at the same 
moment the unfortunate Tecum fell lifeless at the feet of 
the Conquistador. 
In his report to Cortez, Alvarado writes : 66 That day I 
killed and captured many people, many of them captains 
and persons of rank.” 
All the prisoners taken in this war (both men and 
women) were branded on the cheek and thigh and sold 
as slaves at public auction, a fifth of their price belonging 
to the King of Spain. 
The last army of the noble Quiches being destroyed, and 
their utmost efforts being unavailing to turn aside the de¬ 
stroyers of their country, it is not difficult to imagine the 
terror in Utatlan or the hurried counsels of the two kings. 
In desperation they decided to sacrifice their city, if they 
might destroy at the same time these invincible Spaniards. 
The enemy was to be lured within the walls, and the only 
