l see whether it is good or
not.' To which I replied,--'And if it should seem to be good, will you
permit me to do just the same with the rest of your children?' To which
the King replied, before all the people who stood around listening,
that he would. Then taking the child which the King offered me, and one
of the Indian singers who went with us holding him, I sprinkled on him
the baptismal water. Then, seeing that this was such an easy thing and
without the harm which they had expected, they asked me to do the same
with the children which the King had concealed there. These he
immediately brought forth, and he bade all those present (especially
those of his family and district) to bring their little children to
receive their names (for this is what they called baptism). And he told
the priests who were present there, about three or four in number,--'It
is proper that all your children should come to receive their names and
to be washed.' With this example of the King in being the first to
bring his children to be baptized, the other Indians imitated him in
bringing theirs in great haste, so that in the three days and a half
during which they delayed in giving their answer to my message, I
performed very nearly three hundred baptisms, without my having an
opportunity to stir from that temple, on account of my seeing the
assemblage of Indian men and women, who brought their children of their
own accord to be baptized. I gladly administered the said holy rite,
since the King, (who in everything showed himself very friendly towards
me) and three other priests who were his relatives had told me that
they were only waiting for two caciques with their captains, in order
to give the final answer, which would be favorable in all respects (as
they did give it) and this will be seen below....

"I stopped baptizing until I could catechize them in the mysteries of
our holy faith, which is required for such a purpose; and afterwards
all agreed with me to receive baptism when I should come back there at
the appointed time of four months hence, as I will speak of in the
proper place."

Other Caciques Arrive. "I found myself occupied in this work, when, on
the said day, there began to come, sailing over the lake, some of the
governors' captains and head men of the four other _Petens_ or islands,
with their officers of war, and their paraphernalia, such as javelins
and their flint daggers, a little less than a quarter of a yard
lo