tanding which grew up between them was
never after disturbed. He then desired the caziques and papas to order
all the inhabitants into the town again, and to open the tiangues[36] or
markets, at the same time assuring them that no further harm should
befall them. The chiefs accordingly promised that all the inhabitants
should return to the town within the space of five days, as most of them
had fled to the woods; and added, that they feared Cortes would elect a
cazique to whom they might be averse in the room of him who had been
killed in the recent attack. Our general, however, merely inquired who
the rightful successor was according to their laws; and on being
informed the late cazique's brother, he appointed him governor.

As soon as the town was again filled with people, and the markets
frequented as usual, Cortes assembled the papas, chiefs, and the
principal inhabitants, and explained to them the nature of our holy
religion, and showed them the necessity of abolishing their idolatry and
human sacrifices, and their other abominations. He likewise showed them
the delusion they lived under with respect to their idols, which were
nothing but evil spirits from whom they could expect nothing but
falsehood. They should remember how these had lately promised them the
victory over us, and how all their promises had terminated. They should,
therefore, pull down and destroy those lying and deceitful idols, or
leave that work to us, if they declined doing it themselves. At present
he desired they would clear and fresh plaster one of their temples, that
we might fit it up for a chapel and erect a cross there. These words
seemed to cheer them up a little, and they gave a solemn promise to
destroy their idols, but continually postponed the fulfilment whenever
we put them in mind of it. On this matter father Olmedo set Cortes' mind
at ease, by assuring him it would be of little use if even the Indians
did abolish their idols, unless they had previously received some notion
of our religion and faith. We ought first to see what impression our
march into Mexico would make upon them. Time alone could be our surest
guide as to our further proceedings. For the present we had done
sufficient by admonishing them to piety, and by erecting a cross there.

Respecting the town of Cholulla, I have further to remark; that it lay
in a valley, and was surrounded by the townships Tepeaca, Tlascalla,
Chalco, Tecamachalco, Huexotzinco, and so many