threw by means of a thong, and would
penetrate through any cuirass. They were likewise excellent shots with
the bow and arrow, and carried pikes with blades made of flint, which
were of very skilful workmanship and as sharp as razors. Besides these,
they carried shields, and wore cotton cuirasses. They likewise employed
a great number of slingers, who were provided with round stones, long
pikes, and sharp swords, which are used with both hands.

To explain all this they brought forth large pieces of nequen, on which
were depicted their battles and their art of warfare. When Cortes and we
others considered we had gained sufficient information of these things,
the discourse turned on subjects of greater importance. Our friends told
us how and whence they came into this country, and how they had settled
themselves there; how it came that, notwithstanding their vicinity to
the Mexicans, they resembled each other so little, and lived in
perpetual warfare with each other. The tradition was also handed down
from their forefathers, that in ancient times there lived here a race of
men and women who were of immense stature with heavy bones, and were a
very bad and evil-disposed people, whom they had for the greater part
exterminated by continual war, and the few that were left gradually died
away.

In order to give us a notion of the huge frame of this people, they
dragged forth a bone, or rather a thigh bone, of one of those giants,
which was very strong, and measured the length of a man of good stature.
This bone was still entire from the knee to the hip joint. I measured it
by my own person, and found it to be of my own length, although I am a
man of considerable height. They showed us many similar pieces of bones,
but they were all worm-eaten and decayed; we, however, did not doubt for
an instant, that this country was once inhabited by giants. Cortes
observed, that we ought to forward these bones to his majesty in Spain
by the very first opportunity.

The caziques also mentioned another tradition which had come down from
their forefathers. A certain god, to whom they paid great honours, had
informed them that there would one time come from the rising of the sun,
out of distant countries, a people who would subject and rule over them.
If we were that people they should feel delighted, for we were
courageous and good-hearted. This old prophecy was also brought up when
we were negotiating terms of peace with them, and they ha