to me very handsome.... We penetrated,
to the number of ten men, three or four miles in the interior. We saw
there edifices and habitations separated one from another, and very
well constructed."

On the tenth of February, 1519, the armament of Cortez rendezvoused at
this island. Bernal Dias was again a companion, and was an actor in a
scene which he describes as follows: "There was on the island of
Cozumel a temple containing some hideous idols, to which all the
Indians of the neighbouring districts used to go frequently in solemn
procession. One morning the courts of this temple were filled with
Indians, and curiosity having also drawn many of us thither, we found
them burning odoriferous resins like our incense, and shortly after an
old man in a large loose mantle ascended to the top of the temple, and
harangued or preached to the multitude for a considerable time. Cortez,
who was present, at length called to him Melchorejo, an Indian prisoner
taken on a previous voyage to Yucatan, to question him concerning the
evil doctrines which the old man was delivering. He then summoned all
the caciques and chief persons to come before him, and as well as he
could, by signs and interpretations, explained to them that the idols
which they worshipped were not gods, but evil things, which would draw
their souls down to hell, and that, if they wished to remain in
brotherly connexion with us, they must pull them down, and place in
their stead the crucifix of our Lord, by whose assistance they would
obtain good harvests and the salvation of their souls, with many other
good and holy reasons, which he expressed very well. The priests and
chiefs replied that they worshipped these gods as their ancestors had
done, because they were kind to them, and that, if we attempted to
molest them, the gods would convince us of their power by destroying us
in the sea. Cortez then ordered the idols to be prostrated, which we
immediately did, rolling them down some steps. He next sent for lime,
of which there was abundance in the place, and Indian masons, by whom,
under our direction, a very handsome altar was constructed, whereon we
placed an image of the Holy Virgin; and the carpenters having made a
crucifix, which was erected in a small chapel close to the altar, mass
was said by the reverend father Juan Dias, and listened to by the
priests, chiefs, and the rest of the natives with great attention."

These are the accounts given by eyewitnesses