t they were unable to move, even
ordering one of them to be soundly beaten, who proved refractory. Cortes
then caused a proclamation to be made, that no tribute or obedience was in
future to be paid to Montezuma, and that every one of his officers who
entered the district should be imprisoned. This intelligence soon spread
over the country; and the natives said that such measures could only be
attempted by _teules_, or superior beings, by which name they
distinguished their idols, but ever afterwards applied to the Spaniards.
The native chiefs were now bent upon sacrificing to their idols those
officers whom before they dared hardly look at, meaning thereby to prevent
them from carrying intelligence to Mexico of what had been done; but
Cortes prevented this by placing them under a guard of our soldiers. He
made two of them be brought before him at midnight, whom he caused to be
unbound; and, pretending ignorance of what had happened, he asked who they
were and why they had been made prisoners. They answered that they were
Mexican officers, who had been made prisoners by the chiefs of that town
by his encouragement. He pretended to know nothing of the matter, and
expressed sorrow for what had befallen them. Then ordering food to be
given them, he treated them kindly, and desired them to inform Montezuma,
that he was exceedingly desirous of becoming his friend and servant, and
that he was much displeased with the Totonacas for having used them ill.
He promised likewise to set their companions free, and to reprimand the
caciques for their conduct. He then desired them to go their ways as
quickly as possible; but they said they would assuredly be destroyed in
attempting to pass through the country of the Totonacas; on which he sent
them in a boat with six sailors, who were ordered to land them beyond the
territory of Chempoalla.

When the caciques discovered next morning that two of their prisoners had
escaped, they were anxious to sacrifice the others immediately: But Cortes,
pretending to be angry at the escape of the two whom he had released,
ordered the others to be sent in chains on board one of the ships, to get
them out of the power of the Totonacas, directing them to be freed from
their chains immediately on getting aboard, with assurance of being soon
allowed to return to Mexico. The caciques now consulted with Cortes in
what manner to defend themselves from the resentment of Montezuma, who
must soon learn the evil