| chief-priests were called by the same name as the Pope of Rome. | | “Kues” were temples or altars. | | | | [62] Quetzales are birds with bright green plumage, having their | | tail feathers of great length, and are found chiefly in the | | highlands of Guatemala. | | | | [63] Palacio’s Report was published for the first time in the | | original Spanish by Mr. E. G. Squier, in 1860. As it is important | | that the author’s meaning should not be misunderstood, I have | | translated it literally, as far as this is possible, considering | | that it is written in the Spanish of the 16th century. | | | | [64] Carved and polished ornaments made of hard stone of green | | colour. | | | | [65] Diaz observes that Guatimozin—who, after the death of | | Montezuma had become the Emperor of the Mexicans—sent the hands | | and feet of the Spaniards that had been sacrificed, together with | | the heads of the horses that had been killed, to the Indian chiefs | | who had formed a league of alliance with Cortes, and sent them | | messages to the effect, that the remaining Spaniards would soon be | | conquered, and that consequently those chiefs should submit to the | | Aztec power and send ambassadors to him. In the meantime, human | | sacrifices took place daily in the great temple, accompanied by | | the dismal sound of the drum, the discordant noises of the shell | | trumpets, and the horrible shouts and yells of the Mexicans. | | During the night large fires were kept burning on the platform, | | and on each night several Spaniards were sacrificed. | | | | These ceremonies lasted for ten days, until all the captives had | | been sacrificed; and during this time the Mexicans made frequent | | and furious attacks upon the troops. Diaz relates, that the Indian | | soldiers told them that they were wretched creatures who would | | soon be all killed, and that their flesh was disagreeable to taste | | and bad to eat. “Vuestras carnes son tan malas para comer.” | | | | The last Spaniard who was sacrificed was Christobal de Guzman. | | | | [66] Bernal Diaz, Historia Verdadera, chap. clii. | | |