The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

1/25/22, 8:50 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a true an…
burnt on the spot, with the remains of several old and young Indians who had been
sacrificedin these buildings. In the temples we also discovered traces ofother abominations
of a most horrible nature.
Our captain now sent to every township in the neighbourhood, desiringthe inhabitants to
come and sue for peace, and to declare themselvesvassals of our emperor. The first who
came over were the peopleof Cinacatan, Capanaustla, Pinola, Quehuiztlan, Chamula, and
thoseof other townships, whose names I have forgotten; after these camethe Quilenes, and
other tribes who speak the Zoque language. All these tribes expressed their utter
astonishment that we should have been able to vanquish the Chiapanecs with so small a
body of men, butwere excessively rejoiced, for the whole of them were at enmity withthis
people.
We remained altogether five days in Chiapa, during which time fatherJuan celebrated the
holy mass, confessed many of our men, and preachedseveral sermons to the Indians in their
own language, of which he possessedconsiderable knowledge. The inhabitants listened to
him with great delight, knelt down before the cross, and promised they would allow
themselves to be baptized. They became indeed excessively fondof father Juan, and said we
appeared to be a very good kind of people.While we were thus living on the most friendly
terms with the inhabitants,one of our men, without asking our captain's leave, quittedthe
camp with eight Mexicans, and marched to the township of Chamula,which had already
submitted to our arms without offering any resistance.This man demanded, in the name of
his captain, gold ornamentsfrom the inhabitants, of which they gave him a small quantity;
but finding at length he could exact no more from them, he took the principal cazique
prisoner, which presumptuous behaviour so exasperated the inhabitants, that at first they
were going to kill the Spaniard, butfor the moment contented themselves by rising up in
arms, and persuaded their neighbours of Quehuiztlan to do the same. When Luis Marin
received intelligence of this, he ordered the guilty Spaniard tobe brought into his presence,
and immediately sent him off to Mexico,there to appear before the tribunal of Cortes, being
unwilling to punishhim himself, as he was a person in high authority; nor will I, for the
sake of his honour, mention his name at present, as I shall again have occasion to speak
about him, for he afterwards committed an offenceof a more criminal nature, and was, upon
the whole, very cruel to theIndians. Luis Marin then sent a messenger to the Chamulans,
desiring them to return to their former obedience, as he had sent the Spaniard who had
offended them to Mexico, where he would meet with severepunishment; but they returned a
most impudent answer to this message,which we were the more determined to resent, as
they had incitedtheir neighbours of the surrounding townships to join them in therevolt.
We therefore resolved to march against Chamula, and not todesist until we had thoroughly
subdued the inhabitants.
Before our departure, father Juan and our captain said many edifying things to the
inhabitants of Chiapa respecting our holy religion, and admonished them to abolish their
idol-worship, the sacrificing of humanbeings, and other abominations which they practised.
Father Juanthen placed a cross and the image of the blessed Virgin on the altarwhich had
been erected, and Luis Marin explained to them, among other things, how we were all
vassals of our great emperor, and thentook possession of above half their town, in which
we intended to forma settlement. Our new allies, who were so serviceable to us in assisting
us across the river, marched, with their wives, children, and all theirproperty from the land
of the Chiapanecs, and settled themselves fortymiles further down the river, at a spot where
at present Xaltepec stands,the neighbouring township of Istatlan being also comprehended
intheir territory.
[Pg 187]
[Pg 188]
Before we entered on our expedition against Chamula, we sent to the inhabitants of
Cinacatan, who are a people of sound understanding,and, for the greater part, merchants,
desiring them to provide us with200 porters, as we should pass over their town on our way
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