While all this was going on, some of the followers of Teutchlile were busy in painting upon pieces of white cotton, pictures of the strangers, with their ships, horses, and cannon. Cortes, hearing that these pictures were to be taken to Montezuma, that he might learn something of his new visiters, determined that with them the painters should carry such a report as should terrify the Emperor. Accordingly, he immediately ordered his troops to form in battle array, and with great skill they went through their military exercises. Then his horsemen were brought forward, and the Mexicans stood speechless as they looked at their fierce and wonderful performances. Next the cannon were discharged, and now they were completely overcome: some fled, while others fell flat on their faces. It was with great difficulty that Cortes, after a while, succeeded in calming their fears, and bringing them all again around him.
Cortes now again urged his demand, and at length, with fair promises that his message and presents should be delivered to Montezuma, and that he should soon have an answer, Teutchlile with his train was leaving the camp, when suddenly he saw a helmet which he greatly desired. It looked (as he said) like the helmet that adorned the head of _Huitzilopochtli_, their god of war, and begged that he might present it to the Emperor. This request Cortes readily granted, and they all departed. This last gift, as you will see, proved to be a most unfortunate present.
Before these messages reached Montezuma, he had been greatly alarmed by rumors as to these strangers. It seems that the Mexican Empire was managed with great system in every way. Along the principal roads, couriers were placed at certain distances, and through them news was rapidly carried from one end to the other of the empire. In this way he had gathered strange stories of Cortes and his followers. At length the messengers arrived. Montezuma was pleased with the presents, but their pictures, together with their stories and the helmet, greatly increased his alarm. The helmet called up in his heart the saddest forebodings. His head was full of superstitions, and he saw in this helmet something which told him of the end of his empire. There was a strange tradition among the Mexicans at this time, “that _Quetzalcoatl_, the god of the air, had disappeared a long time ago, promising to return after a certain time to rule over the people of Mexico.”[3] Montezuma fancied that these Spaniards in their armor were like the god of the air, and trembled for his authority. To the demand of Cortes he gave a positive refusal, and yet, afraid to provoke him, to lessen his disappointment, and secure his friendship, he determined upon sending him some very rich presents. Accordingly, in less than a week, Teutchlile and his followers again reached the Spanish camp, laden with these presents.