The Page Orguetilla Communicated Many Alarming Circumstances Which He Had Observed, To Cortes, Respecting Frequent Secret Conferences Between Montezuma And His Priests And Nobles, And The Angry And Melancholy Appearances Which He Had Frequently Seen The King Assume On These Occasions.

Cortes was alarmed by this intelligence, and immediately waited on the king accompanied by his interpreters and five of his captains.

Montezuma seemed much distressed during this conference, and declared to Cortes that he was extremely grieved at the manifestation of the will of his gods that we should all be put to death or expelled from Mexico: He therefore, as our sincere friend, earnestly recommended that we should not run the risk of incurring the indignation of his subjects, but should save our lives by a retreat whilst that remained within our power. Cortes and the rest were naturally much alarmed at this; but Cortes answered that he was principally concerned, because in the first place, he had no vessels for returning into his own country, and in the next place he would be under the necessity of taking Montezuma along with him, that he might present him to our emperor. He therefore entreated Montezuma to use every influence to restrain his priests and warriors from proceeding to violence, until we had time to build three ships for our conveyance, and offered immediately to send our ship-builders to fell timber and construct the vessels on the coast, requesting the king to order the assistance of his carpenters for this purpose, that there might be no delay.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 117 of 796
Words from 31833 to 32091 of 221091