tecusuma, nor to pay him tribute, and to make these his wishes
known to all those tribes with whom they were allied and friendly,
adding that they should inform him, whether there were tax-gatherers in
other districts, that he might also send to take them prisoners.

The rumour of all this quickly spread through the whole country, as the
fat cazique despatched messengers to that end, while the chiefs, who had
accompanied the Mexican tax-gatherers, hastened back to their townships
to relate the wonderful news. When the Indians learnt this astounding,
and to them so important an occurrence, they said to one another, that,
such great things could not have been done by men, but only by _teules_,
which sometimes mean gods, sometimes demons, here in the former sense;
which was the reason they termed us teules, from that moment; and I beg
the reader to observe, that whenever in future I speak of teules in
affairs relating to us, that we are meant thereby.

All the caziques were of opinion that we should sacrifice the prisoners,
that they might not return to Mexico and relate what had befallen them.
Cortes, however, strictly forbade this, and placed a strong watch over
them. About midnight he ordered the sentinels into his presence, and
said to them: "Pay particular attention to what I say. Take two of the
most active of the prisoners, now in our hands, and bring them into my
quarters. This must be done with great circumspection, so that the
Indians of this township may know nothing of it."

When the two men were brought before Cortes, he did as if he was
unconscious they were Mexicans, and questioned them, by means of
interpreters, as to whence they came, and why they had been taken
prisoners? To which they answered, "that the caziques of Sempoalla, and
of this township, had seized upon their persons in secret understanding
with us." Cortes, however, positively assured them, that he was totally
ignorant of the whole matter, and was very sorry it should have
happened. He immediately ordered food to be given them, and otherwise to
be kindly treated, and commissioned them to acquaint their monarch,
Motecusuma, that we were all his sincerest friends and most devoted
servants. That they might not suffer any further ill treatment, he
added, they should be set at liberty and he would severely reprimand the
caziques, by whom they had been imprisoned. He was ready to render them
any service in his power, and he would likewise release