-grown people had
very recently been sacrificed; for the altars and walls were covered
with drops of fresh blood. The flint knives with which the unfortunate
victim's breast is cut open to tear the heart away, and the large stones
on which they are sacrificed, still lay in their proper places. Most of
the bodies thus seen by our men were without arms or legs, which,
according to the accounts of the Indians, had been devoured. Our men
were perfectly horror-struck at such barbarities: however, I will not
waste another word on the subject, for we found the same thing over
again in every district we visited in this country. Alvarado found these
districts well stocked with provisions, but so completely deserted by
the inhabitants that he could only find two Indians to assist the men in
carrying maise: every soldier, therefore, was compelled to take a load
of greens and fowls, and in this way the detachment returned to our camp
with a good supply of provisions, and without having encountered any
disaster. This was all the damage our men did, although they had so many
opportunities of doing more, Cortes having most strictly forbidden any
wanton outrage, that there might not be a repetition of what happened on
the island of Cozumel.

We were overjoyed with the provisions; for when man can satisfy his
appetite, he forgets half his sufferings. Gomara mentions another
expedition in this place, which, he says, Cortes himself undertook, with
400 men, to explore the interior of the country: but here again he must
have been misinformed; for there was no other made than the one I have
just mentioned. In the meantime Cortes was not inactive, but did all in
his power to gain the adherents of Diego Velasquez: one was presented
with some of the gold we had made,--for with gold mountains are removed;
another was silenced by considerable promises. He likewise set the whole
of them at liberty, excepting Juan Velasquez de Leon and Diego de Ordas,
who were lying bound in chains on board a vessel: however, both these
were also shortly after released, and they became true friends to him,
of which they subsequently gave sufficient proofs. Gold, indeed, was
not spared on this occasion, for they were only to be tamed by that
means. As soon as greater union was thus restored, it was resolved that
we should march for the township Quiahuitzlan, which I have above
mentioned. Our vessels were also at the same time to set sail and run
into the harbour, ly