accordingly: we must wait to see if our gods will give a better response
some time hence, we can then act as circumstances require. He therefore
desired and commanded them, for their own good, cheerfully to give some
proof of their allegiance to the Spanish monarch. Malinche had been
importunate on this point, and it would not be well to refuse him. For
the eight or ten years he had ruled over them they had obeyed him like
faithful servants; for which reason he had enriched them, enlarged their
territories, and elevated them to high dignities. They were to consider
his present confinement as the will of Huitzilopochtli, who had
particularly advised him to it, as he had so often assured them on other
occasions.

After this reasoning and statement of Motecusuma, all present declared
themselves willing to comply with his wishes, but broke out into tears,
and sighed deeply, Motecusuma himself being most vehemently affected. He
then immediately despatched one of his principal officers to Cortes with
the information that the day following they would again meet, and take
the oath of allegiance to the emperor.

The next day accordingly this was done in the presence of Cortes, of our
officers, and the greater part of the soldiers. All the Mexicans seemed
deeply grieved, and Motecusuma himself could not refrain from shedding
tears. Even we ourselves, from the great affection we bore this monarch,
became quite affected at the sight of his tears, and many of us wept as
much as the monarch himself. We therefore strove, if possible, to
redouble our attention towards him, and Cortes, with Father Olmedo, who
was a man of great intelligence, scarcely left him for a moment; and
while we employed every means to cheer him, we never lost an opportunity
of exhorting him to abolish his false gods.

CHAPTER CII.

_How Cortes sends out some of our men to explore the gold mines and
those rivers which wash down gold; also the harbours from the Panuco
to the Tabasco, but particularly the river Guacasualco._

Cortes one day, as usual, sitting with Motecusuma, the discourse, among
other things, turned upon mining, and he inquired of the monarch where
the gold mines and those rivers were situated where gold dust was found,
and what method they pursued to collect the same, as he intended sending
out two of his men for that purpose, who were great proficients in the
art of mining.

Motecusuma answered, that gold was found in t