This Countrey is reckon’d to be about fifty Leagues in length, and not much less in breadth; of a fruitful Soil, having some Mynes of Gold in it, and once very populous till the Spaniards, about the Year 1522. dispeopled it by their insatiable cruelty.
Conquest of it difficult.
Before Ferdinand Cortesius, Francis de Garay attempted to Conquer this Province, but after much pains to no purpose, he return’d with but a small remnant of those he carried with him; and though Cortesius subdu’d the Countreys Ayotetextetlatan and Chila, yet it was not without many considerable Losses; for the Inhabitants being valiant and cruel, not fearing the Spanish Bullets, ran in amongst them, and made great slaughter, and (according to an old Custom in New Spain) drank their Blood.
Barbarous Customs of the People.
These People, on their Festival Days call’d Raeaxipo Veliztli, which signifies A Flaying of Slaves, us’d to pull off the Skins of a certain number of Slaves, with which they walkt about begging Alms from Hut to Hut, and whosoever deny’d them, was sure of a Blow in the Face with the bloody Skin; of which so long as there was but one Lappet remaining, they went a Begging; and whatsoever they got, was employ’d in Uses and Necessaries belonging to their Idolatry. On the foremention’d Days they also us’d other barbarous Customs, amongst which this was one: The Priest challenging the Slave which was to be Offer’d, to Fight for his Life, he had one of his Feet ty’d to a great round Stone, and having a Sword to offend, and a Shield to defend himself, Encountred with the Priest, who was Arm’d after the same manner, whom if he conquer’d, he not onely preferv’d his Life, but gain’d the Name of a valiant Man.
Strange usage of Prisoners.
They also dealt strangely with Persons that were yearly to be Offer’d to their Idols: for after having wash’d them, they put on them the Clothes of the Idol, and gave them the same Name, every one honouring them as a God; were permitted to walk up and down, but guarded by twelve Men, that they might not escape; for then the chiefest of the Guard was to supply the others place: Moreover, they resided in the chiefest Apartments of the Temple, eat of the best, were serv’d like Princes, and attended through the Towns by Persons of the greatest Quality, who led them through the Streets; where they no sooner play’d on a little Pipe, but all People came running to them, fell at their Feet and worship’d them: In the Night they lock’d them up in a Cage, secur’d with Iron Bars, and at the appointed time flay’d them alive.
Towns and Villages.
The chief Towns now remaining, and inhabited by the Spaniards, are 1. St. Lewis de Tampice, a Colony of Spaniards situate on the Northern Bank of the River Panuco, at the very Mouth of it; where it hath a very large Haven, but so barr’d with Sands, that no Ship of any great Burden can enter or abide in it with safety; and yet the River otherwise so deep, that Vessels of five hundred Tun, might Sail up threescore Leagues at least within Land, and thereby visit the rich Mynes of Zatatecas on the one side of it, and of New Biscay on the other, at pleasure, and without fear of much opposition.