mes,
they would strive in future to put an end to them."

This unsatisfactory answer made a most disagreeable impression on Cortes
and all of us; for, indeed, we could no longer bear to look upon their
barbarities and the dissolute life which they led. Cortes spoke a long
time to us upon the subject; he brought many holy and useful lessons to
our mind, and observed "That we could do nothing which would be more
beneficial to this people, and more to the glory of God, than to abolish
this idolatry with its human sacrifices. It was certainly to be expected
that the inhabitants would rise up in arms, if we proceeded to destroy
their idols: we should, however, make the attempt, if even it were to
cost us our lives."

Upon this we all arrayed ourselves as if we were preparing for battle,
and Cortes acquainted the caziques that we were now going out to destroy
their idols. When the fat cazique heard this he ordered the other chiefs
to call out the warriors in their defence, and when we were about to
mount up a high temple where the sacrifices were made,--I forget now how
many steps led to the top,--he and the other chiefs became outrageously
furious. They went menacing up to Cortes, and asked him, "Why he was
going to destroy their gods? such an insult they would not suffer; it
would be their and our destruction."

Cortes now also lost patience, and answered, "He had already told them
several times they should not sacrifice to these monsters, who were
nothing more than deceivers and liars. There was now, therefore, no
alternative left him than to lay violent hands on them himself, and hurl
them from their bases. He must look upon them as his worst enemies, and
not as friends, since they would put no faith in his advice. He was well
aware what design their chiefs and armed warriors had in hand; his
forbearance was at last exhausted, and any opposition would cost them
their lives."

These threats were most intelligibly interpreted to the Indians by Dona
Marina, who also put them in mind of Motecusuma's army, which every
moment might fall upon them. They, therefore, turned the question
another way, and declared, "That they were not worthy of laying hands on
their gods. If we durst venture to do so, they supposed we must, for we
could not resist the temptation; but they would never give their
consent."

They had scarcely done speaking when more than fifty of us began to
mount the steps of the temple. We tore down the idols f