Then began a diplomatic game between Cortes and the Emperor and the
various chiefs of the country. The couriers of the imperial government,
who traveled in relays, could take a message to the capital and return
in seven or eight days. In due time two ambassadors arrived from
Moteczuma, with gifts evidently meant to impress the strangers with his
wealth and power. The embassy was accompanied by the governor of the
province and about a hundred slaves. Some of these attendants carried
burning censers from which arose clouds of incense; others unrolled upon
the ground fine mats on which to place the presents.
Nothing like this had ever been offered to a Spanish conqueror, even by
Moors, to say nothing of Indians. There were two collars of gold set
with precious stones; a hundred ounces of gold ore just as it came from
the mines; a large alligator's-head of gold; six shields covered with
gold; helmets and necklaces of gold. There were birds made of green
feathers, the feet, beaks and eyes of gold; a box of feather-work upon
leather, set with a gold plate weighing seventy ounces; pieces of cloth
curiously woven with feathers, and others woven in various designs. Most
gorgeous of all were two great plates as big as carriage wheels, one of
gold and one of silver, wrought with various devices of plants and
animals rather like the figures of the zodiac.
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