TREATY WITH THE TLASCALANS.

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Some of their number, and one of their horses had been slain. But the muskets and artillery of the Spaniards had been dreadfully destructive, and the rulers of the Tlascalans felt disposed to accept the peace which Cortes had so constantly offered.

They came to this resolution at a fortunate time for Cortes, whose soldiers were exceedingly mutinous, charging him with causing their destruction by his rash course in regard to the ships, and demanding to be led back to Vera Cruz. Cortes and Father Olmedo were themselves suffering with fever, yet neither the chief nor his men durst lay aside their arms for a moment. The most zealous of the followers of the conqueror could not refrain from thinking "what would be the final issue of this campaign, and if they once got out of the present snare, where they were next to bend their steps; for the idea of penetrating to Mexico appeared to them perfectly absurd, when they considered the great power of that state. If even they succeeded in making the same good terms with the people of Tlascala as they had done with the Cempoallans, what would become of them if they ever came to an engagement with the great armies of Montezuma." Cortes replied to their statements, that what had been done had been done for the best, and that retreat in their present circumstances would be certain death. On a renewal of their remonstrances, he put an end to the cabals by the heroic answer, that in any event, it was better to die like a brave warrior, than to live a coward

TREATY with the Tlascalans was readily concluded, and on the 23d of September they entered their chief city, a large and populous town, compared by Cortes to Grenada, in Spain. The Tlascalans bound themselves to be vassals of the king of Spain, and to assist Cortes in his expedition, while he engaged to defend their persons and property, and took their state under his protection. While the negotiations were pending, a communication was received from Montezuma himself, who entreated Cortes to put no faith in the Tlascalans, who were treacherous barbarians, and invited him in cordial terms to visit his capital, pointing out the road through the city of Cholula as the most convenient. Cortes made many efforts to gain the good will of the Tlascalan chiefs, and sueceeded to a great extent, a result to be attributed to the prudence of Father Olmedo, who persuaded him in their case to leave them their idols and superstition, only prohibiting human sacrifices. As soon

*. Bernal Diaz, chapter 66.

as his men had rested somewhat from their fatigue, he set out for Mexico, accompanied by six thousand Tlascalan warriors, who earnestly dissuaded him from the attempt, but proved the sincerity of their advice by their subsequent devotion. Their approach gave Montezuma great alarm, and he set on foot a scheme for massacring them in the city of Cholula. Tlascalan vigilance discovered the plan, however, and Cortes took a terrible vengeance on the holy city. By a stratagem of his own, he seized on the persons of the magistrates and chief citizens, and then ordered the whole of his followers, Spaniards, Tlascalans, and Cempoallans to fall upon the disorganized people. The massacre lasted two days. A number of the priests and leading citizens shut themselves up in their temples. The torch was brought, and the buildings, the garrisons, and the gods perished together. At length Cortes released and forgave the magistrates, telling them of their intended treachery, requiring them to recall the fugitive people, and establish order in the town.

From Cholula he advanced directly towards the capital of Montezuma, who behaved at this juncture in a most unworthy manner. He sent ambassadors to Cortes with overtures of reconciliation, promising him an immense quantity of gold if he would advance no further. Cortes, of course, refused, and continued a march, which, toilsome

and bitterly cold, was amply rewarded by the sight, which burst suddenly upon them, of the valley of Mexico. We quote the eloquent account of Mr. Prescott. "Turning an angle of the sierra, they came suddenly upon a view which more than compensated their toils. It was that of the valley of Mexico, which with its picturesque assemblage of water, woodland, and cultivated plains, its shining cities and shadowy hills, was spread out like some gay and gorgeous panorama before them. Stretching far away at their feet were seen noble forests of oak, sycamore, and cedar; and beyond yellow fields of maize, and the towering maguey, intermingled with orchards and blooming gardens. In the centre of the great basin were beheld the lakes, their borders thickly studded with towns and hamlets; and in the midst, like some Indian empress with her coronal of pearls, the fair city of Mexico, with her white towers and pyramidal temples, reposing, as it were, on the bosom of the waters-the far famed "Venice of the Aztecs."""*

From this time, all that they saw in their journey until their entry into Mexico, seemed to the Spaniards like fairy land. Montezuma had suffered the strangers to advance almost to the gates of the capital before he had determined whether to receive them as friends. or enemies. At length, however, he sent his nephew, Cacama, with a train of nobles to escort him to the city. Following his direction.

the Spaniards marched along the margin of the Lake Xochichalco to the royal city of Iztapalapan, where they spent the night in most excellent quarters. On the morning of the 8th of November, 1519, they marched along the causeway towards the capital. They trembled when they saw that the causeways were intersected at intervals by drawbridges through which canoes passed and repassed, for they saw that their retreat could at any time be cut off by this means, and they had had abundant evidence of the emperor's dislike for them, and of the hollowness of his present professions of friendship. Cortes marched first with his small body of horse; next came the Spanish foot, about four hundred in number, after them the Indian tamenes carrying the baggage, and last of all the Tlascalan warriors, in number about five thousand. The inhabitants crowded from the city to look at them as they came along the causeway, and as they came near to the city they were met by the emperor himself, accompanied by an immense train of nobles, who demeaned themselves in his presence as though he were a deity. At length Cortes and the emperor stood face to face. The Spanish chieftain accosted him in the fashion of Europe, with the most profound reverence. Montezuma returned the salutation by touching the earth with his hand and kissing it, the customary expression of reverence from inferiors to those who are above them in rank, and which when used by the emperor to the Spaniards, elevated the latter in the minds of the wondering Aztecs to a position only inferior to that occupied by their gods.

After the exchange of presents, Montezuma and his attendants

MEXICAN IDOLS.

95

withdrew, the Spaniards following them into the city, where they were conducted to their quarters, situated in an immense square in the centre of the city, adjoining the temple of the great Mexican war god. Montezuma was waiting to receive them, and he supplied their wants with his characteristic profusion. Next day Cortes visited him in his palace, attended by some of his principal officers, and in the course of the conversation which ensued, expounded to him some of the tenets of his religion, at which the emperor seemed displeased, but replied courteously. The intercourse was maintained day after day, and the soldiers and citizens began to grow familiar with each other. The emperor escorted Cortes through the city, showing to him the market-place, the public buildings, and the temple. At the request of Cortes, though with great reluctance, Montezuma led them into the very sanctuary or tower where the gods were. "Here," says Bernal Diaz, "were two altars, highly adorned with richly wrought timbers on the roof, and over the altars gigantic figures resembling very fat men. The one on the right was their war god, with a great face and terrible eyes. This figure was entirely covered with gold and jewels, and his body bound with golden serpents; in his right hand he held a bow, and in his left a bundle of arrows. Before the idol was a pan of incense, with three hearts of human victims, which were burning, mixed with copal. The whole of that apartment, both walls and floor, was stained with human blood in such quantity as to cause a very offensive smell. On the left was the other great figure, with a countenance like a bear, and great shining eyes of the polished substance whereof their mirrors are made. The body of this idol was also covered with jewels. An offering lay before him of five human hearts. In this place was a drum of most enormous size, the head of which was made of the skins of large serpents. This instrument, when struck, resounded with a noise that could be heard at the distance of two leagues, and so doleful that it deserved to be named the music of the infernal regions."

The first of the deities here described was Huitzilopochtli, the war god. Of the other, Tezcatlipoca, who was only inferior to the invisible supreme god, and who created the world, Diaz makes this singu lar statement: "He was the god of hell, and the souls of deceased Mexicans stood under him."

This horrible scene filled the pious mind of Cortes with horror, and he could not refrain from remonstrating with the emperor upon the subject. "I cannot imagine that such a powerful and wise monarch as you are, should not have yourself discovered by this time, that these idols are not divinities, but evil spirits, called devils. In order that you may be convinced of this, and that your papas may satisfy