d in constant alarm, as we were
completely surrounded by Mexican and Cholullan troops, who were
everywhere lying in ambush. If we had been destroyed at that time, New
Spain would certainly not have been so speedily conquered; a second
armament would not so easily have found its way there; and if it had,
there would have been hard work with the Indians who defended the
coasts; and they would have continued in their idolatrous worship. I
have myself heard the very pious Franciscan brother Toribio Motelmea[40]
say that it would certainly have been better if we could have avoided
spilling so much blood, and the Indians had not given us the cause to do
so; but it had this good effect, that all the inhabitants of New Spain
became convinced that their idols were nothing but deceitful demons, and
they experienced how much happier they were when they discontinued to
worship them or sacrifice to them; and it is a fact, that the
inhabitants of Cholulla, from that moment, cared very little about their
idols: they took down the large one from the principal cu, and either
hid it somewhere or destroyed it altogether: we, at least, never saw
that one again, and they placed another there in its stead.[41]

[34] A temple where human beings were sacrificed to idols. (p. 197.)

[35] Cortes, in his despatches to the emperor, mentions that three
thousand Cholullans were killed on this occasion; but Torquemada gives
double the number, which is nearer the truth, particularly as Gomara
agrees with him.

Respecting this massacre, Torquemada gives the following remarkable
account: The Cholullans, he says, expected that their god Quetzalcohuatl
would come to their assistance with some miracle. They believed that at
any time, by removing part of the white plaster from the temple, a
strong flood of water would instantly burst out, and they were therefore
very particular in repairing any little damage that might happen in this
way to the temple, by means of chalk mixed with the blood of children
two and three years of age, killed for the purpose. It was on this
temple that the Cholullans defended themselves with the greatest
obstinacy; but the victory soon declaring in favour of the Spaniards,
the inhabitants began to loosen the plaster off the outside, firmly
believing that a deluge of water would instantly burst forth, and drown
the assailants; when finding themselves disappointed in their
expectations, they complained bitterly to their god for n