udges and several constables were appointed, who inspected the goods
exposed for sale. I had almost forgotten to mention the salt, and those
who made the flint knives; also the fish, and a species of bread made of
a kind of mud or slime collected from the surface of this lake, and
eaten in that form, and has a similar taste to our cheese.[58] Further,
instruments of brass, copper, and tin; cups, and painted pitchers of
wood: indeed, I wish I had completed the enumeration of all this
profusion of merchandise. The variety was so great that it would occupy
more space than I can well spare to note them down in; besides which,
the market was so crowded with people, and the thronging so excessive in
the porticoes, that it was quite impossible to see all in one day.

On our proceeding to the great temple, and passing the courtyards
adjoining the market, we observed numbers of other merchants, who dealt
in gold dust as it is dug out of the mines, which was exposed to sale in
tubes made of the bones of large geese, which had been worked to such a
thin substance, and were so white that the gold shone through them. The
value of these tubes of gold was estimated according to their length and
thickness, and were taken in exchange, for instance, for so many
mantles, xiquipiles[59] of cacao[60] nuts, slaves, or other merchandise.

On quitting the market, we entered the spacious yards which surround the
chief temple. These appeared to encompass more ground than the
market-place at Salamanca, and were surrounded by a double wall,
constructed of stone and lime: these yards were paved with large white
flag-stones, extremely smooth; and where these were wanting, a kind of
brown plaster had been used instead, and all was kept so very clean that
there was not the smallest particle of dust or straw to be seen
anywhere.

Before we mounted the steps of the great temple, Motecusuma, who was
sacrificing on the top to his idols, sent six papas and two of his
principal officers to conduct Cortes up the steps. There were 114 steps
to the summit, and, as they feared that Cortes would experience the same
fatigue in mounting as Motecusuma had, they were going to assist him by
taking hold of his arms. Cortes, however, would not accept of their
proffered aid. When we had reached the summit of the temple, we walked
across a platform where many large stones were lying, on which those who
were doomed for sacrifice were stretched out. Near these stood a lar