Aguilar and Donna Marina
65
The next day was Palm Sunday and, as Cortes had ordered, all the chiefs with their wives and children came to the courtyard where we had set up the altar and cross and had cut palm branches to carry in our procession. Here the Indians stood looking on while Cortes with officers and all our men marched in reverence, and two of our priests, in full canonicals, said mass and we prayed before and kissed the cross. The caciques drew nearer after this ceremony and offered Cortes ten fowls, baked fish and all kinds of greens, and he commended to their care the image of Our Lady and the cross, adding that if they kept the chapel clean, and the cross decked with garlands, they would then have the blessings of health and plentiful harvests.
